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

In the early 1990s, sales stalled during a nationwide recession and Patagonia's lenders tightened the company's credit lines. —Tony Biasotti, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026

But in many areas beyond the capital region, even a fragile peace is out of reach, and the grip of the war is tightening. —Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 15 Apr. 2026

However, the early signs of recovery are driven more by tightening capacity and a steady supply-side correction than a broad demand rebound. —Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 15 Apr. 2026

According to Gunning, the doctors who originally performed her surgery (at an undisclosed location) agreed that her tummy tuck had failed and offered to fix it by performing surgery through Gunning's belly button to tighten the muscles. —Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 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