TIGHTEN Synonyms: 14 Similar and Opposite Words

tighten

verb

ˈtī-tᵊn

Definition of tighten next

as in to tense

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

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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 From removing splinters or opening bandages, to snagging ingrown hairs and tightening eyeglass screws, tweezers are one of those travel essentials that my mom never regrets packing. —

Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026 Driving lanes tightened quickly with Wembanyama roaming the paint. —

C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2026 The large investment from Amazon, a longtime Anthropic backer, also tightens its relationship with OpenAI. —

Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2026 As the labor market tightens and artificial intelligence reshapes roles, soft skills have increasingly provided a competitive advantage for job seekers. —

Milla Surjadi, Dallas Morning News, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tighten

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tighten

Verb

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
Breezily elegant in execution and at times even Hitchcockian, The Girlfriend is a delicious thriller that tenses up with each new scene and revelation.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026