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
Examples of taut in a Sentence
Adjective
The rope was drawn taut.
The book is a taut thriller.
Recent Examples on the Web
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Its taut construction and metal hardware trace directly back to Demeulemeester’s early experiments with tension and release — the interplay that shaped her gothic romanticism and cemented her place in Antwerp’s avant-garde.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2025
Martin, who is fifty-four, is the most commercially successful songwriter of the twenty-first century; his work is meticulous and precise, and his songs are taut, balanced, unyielding.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
The action is taut, the stakes are clear, and Kirk never misses a chance to remind us that all of these are just regular people who’ve crossed paths in a dark place.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for taut
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Adjective
When considering his crimes or getting ready to commit another, Chernus’s eyes grow cold, his voice deep and sharp, his body language more taut and authoritative.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
Its taut construction and metal hardware trace directly back to Demeulemeester’s early experiments with tension and release — the interplay that shaped her gothic romanticism and cemented her place in Antwerp’s avant-garde.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 4 Oct. 2025
Martin, who is fifty-four, is the most commercially successful songwriter of the twenty-first century; his work is meticulous and precise, and his songs are taut, balanced, unyielding.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2025
The action is taut, the stakes are clear, and Kirk never misses a chance to remind us that all of these are just regular people who’ve crossed paths in a dark place.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for taut
Cite this Entry
“Taut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taut. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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