taut

1 of 3

adjective

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

taut

2 of 3

verb

tauted; tauting; tauts

transitive verb

Scotland
: mat, tangle

taut-

3 of 3

combining form

variants or tauto-
: same
tautomerism
tautonym

Examples of taut in a Sentence

Adjective The rope was drawn taut. The book is a taut thriller.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Adjective
The Rainmaker is a taut thriller driven by relentless cynicism toward the state of the legal profession and simmering rage at the state of the health insurance industry. Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025 But their taut power-pop-rock is best appreciated on these big stages. Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025 Plus, the engineering and placement of mass results in a perfect 50:50 weight distribution, which rides low enough that the suspension can stay taut without ever becoming uncomfortable. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025 While most outdoor projectors work fine when projecting onto a wall, side of a building, or even a sheet pinned up, a taut screen can enhance the viewing experience with crisper images. Taylor Fox, Travel + Leisure, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for taut

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English tought, perhaps from tought, toughth fierce, tough, alteration of tough tough

Verb

origin unknown

Combining form

Late Latin, from Greek, from tauto the same, contraction of to auto

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a(1)

Verb

1721, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of taut was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Taut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taut. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

taut

adjective
ˈtȯt
1
a
: drawn to the limit : not slack
taut rope
b
: high-strung, tense
taut nerves
2
: kept in proper order or condition
a taut ship
tautly adverb
tautness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on taut

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!