tighten

verb

ˈtī-tᵊn How to pronounce tighten (audio)
Definition of tightennext
as in to tense
to draw tight tighten the straps on the backpack so that the load doesn't shift while hiking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 In other words, the moment a market tightened, YieldStar kicked into overdrive. — Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026 The overhaul would also tighten restrictions on community development grants and donations by requiring those funds be tied to a specific project. — Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026 The second began in 2010, when heroin, made cheaper by more efficient distribution, flooded the illicit market just as federal authorities began to tighten regulations on prescription opioids. — Mary Jane Gibson, Rolling Stone, 13 Oct. 2026 Government also has to tighten its belt just like families and businesses do. — Michelle Whitman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tighten
  1. tense
  2. stretch
Verb
  • Even an Impractical Joker, after hundreds of public challenges and punishments designed to push the limits of embarrassment, could still tense up when a cellphone camera caught him experimenting with a new bit.
    — Antonio Ferme, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of tense
Verb
  • The center of the low is expected to impact North Carolina and Virginia, with effects stretching up to coastal New Jersey and down to Florida.
    — Robin Webb, Sun Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The Capricorn Moon squares the Libra Sun, and a social plan or future idea could stretch your resources more than expected.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of stretch

Browse Nearby Words

tight
tighten
tightened
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Cite this Entry

“Tighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tighten. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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