as in tightening
to draw tight
he tautened the rope and then tied it off
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tautening
Verb
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And second, there’s the audience’s uncomfortable tingle of recognition watching Vladimir Putin’s tightening stranglehold on the Russian press.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026 -
In addition to high fuel costs, tightening airspace also threatens to derail the global travel industry, as pilots reroute to avoid the Middle East conflict and capacity on popular routes fills up.—
Shivangi Lahiri,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Limited rib mobility interferes with the ability to breathe deeply, triggering your body’s stress response, which increases muscle tensing as a guarding mechanism.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
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Keeping in the same position for a long period of time, especially if cramped or uncomfortable, can also lead to muscles tensing up and feeling tight.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
26 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Tautening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tautening. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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