1
a
: having no give or slack : tightly drawn
a taut rope
b
: high-strung, tense
taut nerves
2
a
: kept in proper order or condition
a taut ship
b(1)
: not loose or flabby
taut skin
(2)
: marked by economy of structure and detail
a taut story
tautly
adverb
tautness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of taut in a Sentence
Adjective
The rope was drawn taut.
The book is a taut thriller.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
Written by Ernest Kinoy based on his own World War II experience, this taut and thoughtful drama of an American POW conflicted about whether to reveal his Jewish identity to his German captors is impeccably acted by a cast that includes Don Gordon, Ivan Dixon and Clu Gulager.
—Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Pull it taut, fitting the shoulder onto a corner of the rectangular end of the board.
—Helen Carefoot, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
Today, the taut, dour Yankee faces in these paintings look out of place in Phoenix, Denver, and San Diego.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 1 Feb. 2024
The towers were a specific architectural reference that didn’t look specific at all, a forceful abstract pattern with the subtlest of concessions to perspective, a taut graphic device that hit the eye like a logo — a logo for nothing but itself.
—Will Heinrich, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Through the use of sound (the storm lashes on throughout the night) and shadowy cinematography, a great sense of unease cloaks this taut bone-chiller, a chamber piece played to perfection by its two leads.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
Like an old friend with exceptional plastic surgery, the British marque’s latest model appears more taut but the underlying bone structure is still there.
—Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2024
Omar held up his hand and kept the rope taut with the other.
—Jared Lemus, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Lopez, 54, showed off her taut abs in a cropped dark-green top with long sleeves and a high neck, finishing the look in wide-leg jeans and platform shoes and carrying a green handbag.
—Jen Juneau, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
Written by Ernest Kinoy based on his own World War II experience, this taut and thoughtful drama of an American POW conflicted about whether to reveal his Jewish identity to his German captors is impeccably acted by a cast that includes Don Gordon, Ivan Dixon and Clu Gulager.
—Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Pull it taut, fitting the shoulder onto a corner of the rectangular end of the board.
—Helen Carefoot, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
Today, the taut, dour Yankee faces in these paintings look out of place in Phoenix, Denver, and San Diego.
—Brian T. Allen, National Review, 1 Feb. 2024
The towers were a specific architectural reference that didn’t look specific at all, a forceful abstract pattern with the subtlest of concessions to perspective, a taut graphic device that hit the eye like a logo — a logo for nothing but itself.
—Will Heinrich, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024
Through the use of sound (the storm lashes on throughout the night) and shadowy cinematography, a great sense of unease cloaks this taut bone-chiller, a chamber piece played to perfection by its two leads.
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024
Like an old friend with exceptional plastic surgery, the British marque’s latest model appears more taut but the underlying bone structure is still there.
—Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2024
Omar held up his hand and kept the rope taut with the other.
—Jared Lemus, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'taut.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Taut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taut. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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