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
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Recent Examples of uptight
The comparatively uptight Pari (Mahshad Bahraminejad) mounts nonlinear plays that depict the intrusion of political anxiety on everyday Iranian spaces.
—
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Shortly before her career-defining role as Elaine Benes on Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus played the Griswolds' uptight neighbor Margo Chester.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
Monster mother-in-law Andrew's adoring, uptight mother, Evelyn (Elizabeth Perkins), has a more prominent role in the film than in the book, further antagonizing Nina while also providing a deeper backstory for Andrew.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Dec. 2025
The same goes for Charli XCX who, in a Danielle Frankel slip and Vivienne Westwood corset dress, made the case for uptight brides to let go of their pursuit of perfection and just let loose.
—Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uptight
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026
Shortly before her career-defining role as Elaine Benes on Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus played the Griswolds' uptight neighbor Margo Chester.
—Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
Monster mother-in-law Andrew's adoring, uptight mother, Evelyn (Elizabeth Perkins), has a more prominent role in the film than in the book, further antagonizing Nina while also providing a deeper backstory for Andrew.
—Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Dec. 2025
The same goes for Charli XCX who, in a Danielle Frankel slip and Vivienne Westwood corset dress, made the case for uptight brides to let go of their pursuit of perfection and just let loose.
—Emily Mercer, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uptight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uptight
Adjective
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Her advice to anyone who is worried about giant hogweed is to take steps to identify it.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
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So, should human artists be worried?—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Even small amounts of mercury can cause severe damage to the nervous, digestive and immune systems, as well as to the lungs, kidneys, skin and eyes.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2026
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Four more years of antibiotics made Morales nervous.—
Eric Boodman,
STAT,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Virginia made one last push, cutting TCU’s lead to 65-55, but the Horned Frogs quickly delivered the knockout blow as Miles knocked down a 3 and Suarez hit sophomore center Clara Silva for a layup to end Virginia’s hopes of another upset.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
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In the video of the altercation, which was broken into clips and cross-posted across social media platforms, Peters and the woman are hanging out when Lentz arrives, upset.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Iran continues to fire missiles at Israel each day, disrupting the lives of millions of anxious and exhausted voters.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2026
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Investors have grown more anxious about inflation, with Treasury yields rising and consumer surveys showing short‑term price expectations drifting upward.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That neighbor also raised concerns about security, saying fewer on-site resources and changes in how calls are handled have left some people feeling uneasy.—
Daniel Wilkerson,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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As the war in Iran stretches into a fifth week, investors who had been hopeful for a quick resolution are growing increasingly uneasy about the real-world fallout from the conflict.—
Tanaya Macheel,
CNBC,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In the past decade, his more scattershot discography has similarly seemed to reflect his troubled state of mind.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Azabal plays Layal, a tightly wound Arabic professor whose troubled teenage son Daniel (Zolghadri) is expelled from high school, prompting her to escort him from Indiana to California to live with his estranged father.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Uptight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uptight. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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