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

And unlike Biden, Trump was more willing to tighten the screws on Zelensky, who often demanded terms—like Russia’s full withdrawal from Ukraine, including Crimea—that were not tethered to facts on the ground. —Daniel Depetris, Time, 7 Aug. 2025

As Apple, Google and regulators tighten the screws on user tracking, marketers are shifting toward first-party data (59%), contextual targeting (58%) and broader targeting strategies. —Boris Abaev, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025

More recently, the Trump administration has proceeded to tighten the screws on borrowers. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025

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

Rhymes for tighten the screws

• hypotenuse
• accrues
• accuse
• aircrews
• amuse
• bamboos
• breakthroughs
• canoes
• cashews
• chartreuse
• confuse
• construes