tighten up

phrasal verb

tightened up; tightening up; tightens up
: to become more strict or effective or to make (something) more strict or effective
Security around the building has tightened up recently.
They tightened up security around the building.

Examples of tighten up in a Sentence

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.
And if the defense tightens up, maybe the pitchers can relax a whole little bit. Bill Speros, Boston Herald, 15 June 2025 The nine episode run is probably too long, and Dept. Q could have benefited from tightening up the pacing and bringing us some closure a little earlier on. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025 Our out-of-system pin hitting got tightened up with Derek and Broden (Corona). Tim Meehan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2025 The conversation veered into an assessment of how much is put on an NFL quarterback and how many obstacles appear — especially in the postseason, when games tighten up and every play can feel monumental. Michael Silver, New York Times, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for tighten up

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Cite this Entry

“Tighten up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tighten%20up. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

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