uptight

adjective

ˈəp-ˈtīt How to pronounce uptight (audio)
Definition of uptightnext
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty he has a tendency to fret and get uptight whenever his usual routine is disrupted

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 uptight For about half of this day, feelings are a bit uptight while the Moon passes over Saturn. — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 7 July 2026 Anna and Tom’s daughter, Natalie (Lily Collias), views Cady as a source who might finally tell her the truth about her uptight mother and avoidant stepfather. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 June 2026 After granting his request to aid his cause, Sharako insists that the uptight Lannister prove his worth by wrestling her in a mud pit. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 21 June 2026 Dabbling in this culinary staple is an antidote to uptight, disciplined design. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for uptight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uptight
  1. worried
  2. nervous
  3. upset
  4. anxious
  5. uneasy
  6. troubled
Adjective
  • Franceschini was worried while the couple browsed the shops around the village before taking a casual walk onto the renowned wooden bridge.
    — Karie Angell Luc, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The security founders were worried about regulatory and compliance risk.
    — Hammed Afenifere, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • But Democrats are arguing that Trump is going to red states like Alabama because Republicans are nervous.
    — Oren Oppenheim, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The admittedly nervous executive started Monday’s news conferences by apologizing to the Clippers’ faithful for the aftermath of the Leonard situation.
    — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • But there were clearly hundreds of Disney employees who were very upset about that.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Many have responded to Swan Song negatively, with RadarOnline previously reporting that some royal observers are upset that Spencer is looking to reopen old wounds while Charles is battling cancer.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of upset
Adjective
  • Many of Martin’s clients come in feeling anxious about making the leap, unsure whether the look will suit them.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Forrest says he was pushed into thinking about climate change in the 2010s by his daughter Sophia, who was anxious about the planet’s future.
    — Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • An uneasy calm prevailed along the border Friday, with no new fighting reported.
    — MUNIR AHMED, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Their battles for influence, image and desire, in a Spain on the brink of collapse, are observed and narrated with fierce irony by Francisco de Goya, an uneasy witness who turns palace intrigue into a surprisingly contemporary mirror.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • This project, classical in form, presents a sweeping vision of how the past has led to the present, an epic for this troubled age, a dispatch from a roiling Europe that nonetheless reflects back the difficult beauty of human existence.
    — Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Which is what troubled regulators even more about this particular outbreak.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of troubled

Browse Nearby Words

upticks
uptight
up till
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Cite this Entry

“Uptight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uptight. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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