as in to tense
to draw tight tighten the straps on the backpack so that the load doesn't shift while hiking

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 tighten Others recommended the county tighten the consequences for the adults bringing in the drugs. Rebecca Ellis follow, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2025 Among their efforts: amping up rebates, tightening rules on the carbon intensity of fuels, and cracking down on pollution where trucks congregate. Rambo Talabong, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025 The United States has been tightening its policy of exporting semiconductors to China in recent years. Dmitrii Khasanov, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025 Many in Iran and abroad now fear the country’s leadership – its pride and defenses wounded – may tighten its grip at home while adopting a much more hawkish stance in both domestic and foreign policy. Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for tighten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tighten
Verb
  • As the faith leaders arrived and asked their group to take a knee and pray on the building’s steps, Department of Homeland Security officers trained pepper-ball guns on clergy members, and National Guard members tensed their riot shields.
    Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
  • Chronic impacts of emotional abuse can include anxiety, depression, insomnia, binge drinking or substance abuse and muscle tension from flinching or tensing up, Patel says.
    Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Twenty-two months stretch between Miedema’s 95th goal (September 2022 against Scotland) and 96th goal (July 2024 against Norway), months filled with injury, tears, crippling doubt.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 6 July 2025
  • Carlos Alcaraz of Spain stretches to reach a shot from Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany in the third round of the Gentlemen's Singles Competition on Centre Court during the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All...
    Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tighten. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on tighten

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!