tightened 1 of 2

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tightened

2 of 2

adjective

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
Adjective
Camp Pendleton has tightened access to the sprawling Marine base in North County in the wake of the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans that killed 14 people. Gary Robbins, The Mercury News, 6 Jan. 2025 But the Pole tightened when on the front foot in two baseline exchanges, moving forward at the wrong time and letting Fritz move out in front. James Hansen, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025 The Biden administration tightened those restrictions in October 2023 and once again in December 2024. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 3 Jan. 2025 State Farm General, Farmers, Allstate and other companies have all declined to write or limited new policies, or tightened their underwriting standards. Andrea Chang, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025 The automobile manufacturer said in the NHTSA recall report that the front upper control arm ball joint nut may not be tightened properly. Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY, 30 Dec. 2024 Department officials have tightened their camera policy, and raised the possibility of using AI to review the countless hours of footage that goes unseen each month. Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024 The Commanders tightened their defensive alignment after Hurts exited the game. Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024 The defense tightened when Walker replaced David Long as the starting inside linebacker in November. Omar Kelly, Orlando Sentinel, 26 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tightened
Adjective
  • Cuomo went on to claim that the party has lost its moderate center and is in the midst of being reshaped by louder and more inflexible factions.
    Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • Trump has expressed growing frustration over Iran’s stance at recent indirect talks, portraying Tehran as inflexible and slow-moving.
    Courtney Kube, NBC news, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • Flip, and cook until golden brown, and center of the pancake is firm to the touch, about 1 to 2 minutes longer.
    Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
  • For side sleepers, a bed that is too firm means your hips and shoulders will be crying out for help because of the tension.
    Julia Forbes, Wired News, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • The DuSable schools are emblematic of an unyielding predicament facing the district.
    Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 13 June 2025
  • Trump’s advisers remain animated by the unyielding belief that the economic experts were proven wrong in Trump’s first term.
    Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 4 June 2025
Adjective
  • Millions of people living illegally in the United States are facing stiff new fines from the Trump administration as the White House pressures migrants to self-deport to their birth countries.
    Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 27 June 2025
  • Trump’s 90-day pause on the stiffest tariffs is set to end on July 9.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • How Benson Boone pays tribute to rock history on new album Boone has said that these 10 songs, which clock in at taut 30 minutes, were inspired by Bruce Springsteen.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 22 June 2025
  • He’s had a particularly taut tightrope to walk on Medicaid, called Medi-Cal in California.
    David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • First, consider dynamic withdrawal strategies that adjust based on portfolio performance, rather than rigid rules.
    Bruce Helmer, Twin Cities, 21 June 2025
  • It's been 28 years since the rage virus — a virulent, bloodborne infection that sends its hosts into extreme, uncontrollable rage and states of undead decay — escaped a lab and decimated nearly all of the United Kingdom, now under rigid quarantine.
    EW.com, EW.com, 20 June 2025
Adjective
  • The timeline is tight—most growth drivers need to materialize before 2028—but the groundwork is established.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • Steer clear of harsh chemicals and tight hairstyles to prevent further hair loss.
    Health, Health, 26 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Tightened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tightened. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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