tighten

verb

tight·​en ˈtī-tᵊn 

tightened; tightening ˈtīt-niŋ 

ˈtī-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

: to make tight or tighter

intransitive verb

: to become tight or tighter

tightener

ˈtīt-nər, 

ˈtī-tᵊn-ər 

noun

see also:

tighten one's belt

Synonyms of tighten

• tense
• stretch

Examples of tighten in a Sentence

She tightened her hold on the handle.

tighten the straps on the backpack so that the load doesn't shift while hiking

Recent Examples on the Web

According to the agency, the Dodd-Frank Act, a 2010 law passed in the wake of the housing crash to tighten financial oversight, expanded its authority by giving it control over swaps, a type of derivative contract. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 24 June 2026

Gently tighten your abdominal muscles and flatten your lower back into the floor. — Rikkilynn Shields Hannigan, Health, 24 June 2026

When markets tighten, reputational stability helps protect pricing, strengthen negotiating leverage and attract talent willing to commit long-term. — Nick Leighton, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

The data also comes as Singapore’s central bank tightened its monetary policy settings in April, its first policy tightening since April 2022, citing inflation risks stemming from the conflict in the Middle East. — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 23 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1727, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing tighten

• tighten one's belt
• tighten/put the thumbscrews on
• tighten the noose
• tighten the purse strings
• tighten the screws
• tighten up

Rhymes for tighten

• brighten
• chitin
• frighten
• heighten
• lighten
• phaeton
• titan
• triton
• whiten
• enlighten
• exciton
• periphyton

Kids Definition

tighten

verb

tight·​en ˈtīt-ᵊn 

tightened; tightening ˈtīt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: to make or become tight or tighter

tightener

-nər 

-ᵊn-ər

noun