tighten the screws
idiom
informal
: to put more pressure on someone or something to do something
We need to tighten the screws on people who've been evading the tax.
Examples of tighten the screws in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Trump administration seeks to tighten the screws on the Cuban regime at a critical juncture for the Communist-run island.
—
Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025
In the case of Iran, the United States was able to tighten the screws by pressuring foreign firms to stop dealing with the country.
—Eric Lorber, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2014
The arrests of the prominent dissidents happen at a time discontent with the deteriorating economic situation on the island is high and Trump administration officials have vowed to implement policies to further tighten the screws on the regime to seek political change.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2025
Trump may seek to further tighten the screws on Russia's economy, in which inflation is rising and dollars are increasingly difficult and expensive to access.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tighten the screws
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Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025
In the case of Iran, the United States was able to tighten the screws by pressuring foreign firms to stop dealing with the country.
—Eric Lorber, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2014
The arrests of the prominent dissidents happen at a time discontent with the deteriorating economic situation on the island is high and Trump administration officials have vowed to implement policies to further tighten the screws on the regime to seek political change.
—Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 29 Apr. 2025
Trump may seek to further tighten the screws on Russia's economy, in which inflation is rising and dollars are increasingly difficult and expensive to access.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tighten the screws
Cite this Entry
“Tighten the screws.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tighten%20the%20screws. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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