Synonyms of tightening

tightening

verb

present participle of tighten

as in tensing

to draw tight

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tensing
• stretching
• tautening
• straining
• lengthening
• elongating
• extending
• constricting
• cinching

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• loosening
• relaxing
• easing
• slackening
• slacking

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tightening

The trailer starts in the familiar territory of family and aspiration before gradually tightening its grip. — Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 10 Aug. 2026

His view on rates runs against market pricing that has reflected some risk the Fed could resume tightening amid lingering inflation concerns. — Yun Li, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026

Anutin also ordered tougher enforcement against people carrying guns in public and said police would set up checkpoints as part of a crackdown, which would include tightening controls on the possession, carrying and use of firearms. — Reuters, NBC news, 10 Aug. 2026

In practice, that means freezing credit, tightening account security, removing extra personal information from public-facing sources when possible and keeping ongoing watch for fraud signals. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026

Washington would almost certainly respond by tightening access to advanced chips, compute and cloud infrastructure, while building more sovereign AI capacity of its own. — Will Conaway, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

But when bracing becomes your default — forcefully tightening your abs during every exercise and throughout the day in pursuit of better posture or aesthetics — the strategy can backfire. — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026

Replace worn hardware or add non-slip pads if tightening doesn’t fix the issue. — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 5 Aug. 2026

Brazil has continued to accept asylum-seekers at a time when not only the United States but also European and other Latin American countries are tightening their borders. — Catherine Osborn, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026