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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of uptight
Charismatic slacker Raj and uptight striver Mir aren’t just foils for each other; their mutual love is unmistakable, which gives weight to the looming prospect that the stress of salvaging Baba’s empire could tear them apart.
—
Judy Berman, TIME, 6 Mar. 2025
Everything feels so uptight these days and few people seem to be amusing themselves.
—Julian Randall, Essence, 3 Mar. 2025
Maybe being a micromanager and a little uptight weren’t such horrible things after all.
—Mark Barabak, The Mercury News, 1 Jan. 2025
The chemistry between Ferrell’s uptight, by-the-books forensic accountant and Wahlberg’s aggressive, hot-headed detective drives the film’s best moments, with the latter’s exasperated reactions to the former’s bizarre behavior making the movie consistently entertaining—and, of course, hilarious.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uptight
Judy Berman, TIME, 6 Mar. 2025
Everything feels so uptight these days and few people seem to be amusing themselves.
—Julian Randall, Essence, 3 Mar. 2025
Maybe being a micromanager and a little uptight weren’t such horrible things after all.
—Mark Barabak, The Mercury News, 1 Jan. 2025
The chemistry between Ferrell’s uptight, by-the-books forensic accountant and Wahlberg’s aggressive, hot-headed detective drives the film’s best moments, with the latter’s exasperated reactions to the former’s bizarre behavior making the movie consistently entertaining—and, of course, hilarious.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uptight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uptight
Adjective
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Others are worried about the fate of the Smithsonian more broadly.—
Deborah Barfield Berry,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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At Chang Jiang, Wu had a warning for customers who are worried about their favorite products going away or getting more expensive.—
Allison Cho,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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At the same time, sellers might get nervous if deal activity slows down.—
James Nelson,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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At times brutal and always volatile, the album functions as a sort of electro-shock therapy applied from the shoulders down, layering hard beats, ambient whorls, and nervous acid ticks to trigger a state of full-body rapture.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Gannon informed Nolen that Johnson was a little upset with falling into the second round.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
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In medical settings, it's used to treat poisoning, overdoses, high cholesterol, hangovers, and upset stomach.—
Ashley Wong,
Health,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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How to know when your dog is agitated Identifying an anxious or aggressive dog can be tricky, as negative and positive emotional indicators can often be confused.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
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The Fed chief said Wednesday the central bank can be patient while assessing data on inflation and employment, which are its dual mandates, while anxious consumers and businesses eye potentially prolonged economic instability.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Consumer sentiment and expectations Americans are feeling uneasy about the economy, and that is showing up in the data.—
Russ Wiles,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
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Still, Ruark is increasingly uneasy about the future.—
Catherine Baab,
Quartz,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Proposals for Combating Polarization and Extremism By Larry Diamond, Edward B. Foley, and Richard H. Pildes The Primary Solution: Rescuing Our Democracy From the Fringes By Nick Troiano Two new books explore the deeply troubled election system in the United States.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
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Meanwhile, some at City Hall have heard rumblings about major cuts to the planning department, which processes development applications and updates zoning plans, as well as the troubled Animal Services Department.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Uptight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uptight. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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