tightened 1 of 2

adjective

as in inflexible

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tightened

2 of 2

verb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 tightened
Verb
The law tightened Beijing’s grip on the former British colony. — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2026 Small businesses feel the squeeze Commercial and industrial lending to large and middle-market firms was broadly unchanged from the previous survey — but banks tightened lending to smaller businesses. — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026 The Kansas governor’s race between Ty Masterson and Cindy Holscher has tightened in the final stretch, with a New York Times/Siena poll showing Holscher at 48% and Masterson at 47%. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026 The less-than-truckload (LTL) market further tightened in the third quarter, as more carriers with spare terminal capacity picked up freight that truckload carriers can no longer move cheaply or reliably. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 2 Nov. 2026 Upon landing, mechanics tightened its air pressure regulator and pressure checked the system. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026 But Musk’s money cannon ensures Texas voters are relentlessly confronted by them, and the race appears to have tightened in the final stretch of the campaign. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 30 Oct. 2026 That turmoil faded as President Joe Biden tightened immigration enforcement after Trump clamped down even more. — ABC News, 29 Oct. 2026 The visit came as Graham’s race against Democrat Annie Andrews tightened and Democrats held their own event in the city the night before. — Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tightened
  1. inflexible
  2. tensed
  3. firm
  4. stretched
  5. unyielding
  6. stiff
  7. taut
  8. rigid
Adjective
  • That complex network has been known to break down, with students and their families reporting long commutes, early and late pick-ups and drop-offs, no-shows, and inflexible hours that shut bus riders out of after-school and summer programs.
    — Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 29 Oct. 2026
  • We are presented with a few potentially hissable villains, including an attorney for the state (Christian Rubeck) who mocks the Gheorghius’ faith and a frostily inflexible social worker, Gunda (Ellen Dorrit Petersen).
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of inflexible
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 tensed
Adjective
  • Staying calm and firm matters, even when emotions are running high.
    — Renia Goral, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Nationally, Democrats picked up seven Senate seats Tuesday, gaining firm control of the upper chamber and making major inroads in Republican strongholds such as Texas.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of firm
Verb
  • Buyout holding periods have stretched to around seven years, compared with five to six years between 2010 and 2021, according to Bain.
    — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Some polling places saw lines that stretched blocks for much of election day.
    — Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of stretched
Adjective
  • The great Argentine folk-singer Mercedes Sosa came across on stage as an imposing warm stage presence and an unyielding champion of the poor.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The bow, preserved by Janaka’s royal dynasty, is so unyielding that no suitor has yet succeeded in stringing it.
    — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of unyielding
Adjective
  • Her Paris residency marked a significant milestone following her 2022 announcement that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that had affected her ability to perform.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 7 Nov. 2026
  • This is far too much literalism — not to mention the dash of inconsistency added by the motionless curtains paired with the storm FX — for such an innately wonky drama to handle without going stiff and dull in the process.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of stiff
Adjective
  • The movie’s essence is Chaucerian; the pacing is taut, jaunty, like a fairy tale, helped along by a twinkling score composed by Anna Meredith.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Unlike straps, which work only when taut, struts are rigid and can resist forces pushing or pulling against the home.
    — Daniel Wolfe, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of taut
Adjective
  • Unlike conventional industrial robots that rely on rigid structures and external safety barriers, AIR uses a compliant mechanical design intended to reduce the risk of injury during accidental contact.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Made of large, rigid plastic panels, Hardig’s invention was designed to be weather- and insect-proof, simple to clean and maintain, and lightweight and easy to move.
    — Sarah Kuta, Popular Science, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of rigid

Browse Nearby Words

tighten
tightened
tightening
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Cite this Entry

“Tightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tightened. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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