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
Pam Goodman's dad taught her not to tighten the screws in her furniture until everything was aligned.
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Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 14 June 2024
The case demonstrates the extent of the U.S. commitment to tighten the screws on those seen as aiding Russian elites, even if they themselves are not closely tied to the Kremlin.
—Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024
But after achieving payment parity between MA and traditional Medicare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has continued to tighten the screws on MA plans.
—Avik Roy, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
As Washington once again seeks to tighten the screws, Tehran sees its relationship with Beijing as key to remaining afloat.
—Dina Esfandiary, Foreign Affairs, 20 July 2018
See all Example Sentences for tighten the screws 
Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 14 June 2024
The case demonstrates the extent of the U.S. commitment to tighten the screws on those seen as aiding Russian elites, even if they themselves are not closely tied to the Kremlin.
—Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024
But after achieving payment parity between MA and traditional Medicare, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has continued to tighten the screws on MA plans.
—Avik Roy, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024
As Washington once again seeks to tighten the screws, Tehran sees its relationship with Beijing as key to remaining afloat.
—Dina Esfandiary, Foreign Affairs, 20 July 2018
See all Example Sentences for tighten the screws
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tighten the screws.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tighten the screws
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“Tighten the screws.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tighten%20the%20screws. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
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