tauten

verb

ˈtȯ-tᵊn How to pronounce tauten (audio)
Definition of tautennext
as in to tighten
to draw tight he tautened the rope and then tied it off

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of tauten From that queasiness comes bristly tension, tautening and deepening what otherwise seems a low-key, low-stakes character study, and eventually a sweet, conciliatory sliver of hope too. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 18 Feb. 2023 Pimples pop, pupils dilate, tendons tauten, and breathing gets so shallow that people fall into respiratory acidosis. — John Pearley Huffman, Car and Driver, 20 Apr. 2022 Those systems use hydraulics or electromagnetic fluids to soften or tauten the ride. — Jack Stewart, WIRED, 9 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tauten
  1. tighten
  2. tense
Verb
  • As tuition climbs and federal oversight tightens on low-earning programs, a new tool lets families compare outcomes across California campuses.
    — Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • At the same time, a July 2026 Federal Reserve survey on bank lending practices showed that, compared to 2005, lending standards have tightened for all types of loans, except commercial and industrial lending.
    — Ryley Amond, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of tighten
Verb
  • The women tensed when the deputy warden of the Rostov jail, a curt, imperious man with a heavy-footed gait, walked in.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • As that handover proceeds, the excitatory signal that keeps your muscles faintly tensed all day begins to withdraw, and muscle tone drops toward the near-paralysis of deep sleep.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of tense

Browse Nearby Words

taut
tauten
tautened
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Cite this Entry

“Tauten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tauten. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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