TIGHTEN Synonyms: 14 Similar and Opposite Words

tighten

verb

ˈtī-tᵊn

Definition of tighten

as in to tense

to draw tight tighten the straps on the backpack so that the load doesn't shift while hiking

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of tighten The ribbony-soft part contracts and tightens when exposed to the light. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 3 Sep. 2026 Earlier this year, President Vladimir Putin directed the Federal Security Service and other agencies to tighten security around military and government officials. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026 Iran now appears to be tightening its stranglehold over shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. — Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Sep. 2026 The settlers have tightened their grip on the military administration of the West Bank. — Amos Harel, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tighten

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tighten

Verb

The women tensed when the deputy warden of the Rostov jail, a curt, imperious man with a heavy-footed gait, walked in.

— Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
As that handover proceeds, the excitatory signal that keeps your muscles faintly tensed all day begins to withdraw, and muscle tone drops toward the near-paralysis of deep sleep.

— Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of tense

Verb

The move may mark more than another bout of bond-market volatility, with consequences stretching across economies and financial markets.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Its low-profile frame looks clean and modern, while deep seats give you plenty of room to read, watch, or stretch out.

— Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of stretch

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tight

tighten

tightened

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“Tighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tighten. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of tighten

verb

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