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
The protagonist, Nora Stephens, is a New York literary agent, and the antagonist, if that’s the correct word for the character who is clearly going to become the love interest, is an uptight book editor.
—
Susan Coll
september 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
Predictably, the hubbub surrounding the photo was eventually framed as a war between uptight virgins and godless heathens, with a quieter contingent astounded only by the fact that this kind of marketing could still be so effective.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
The more uptight Theo gets, the looser Benedict’s performance appears, and his facility for physical comedy gets a workout.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
Lord Doyle’s being pursued by an uptight watchdog (Tilda Swinton) sent by those holding the bag on his considerable debts, and his salvation may come from a mysterious ghostly gorgeous benefactor (Fala Chen) who stakes Doyle when no one else will.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uptight
Susan Coll
september 12, Literary Hub, 12 Sep. 2025
Predictably, the hubbub surrounding the photo was eventually framed as a war between uptight virgins and godless heathens, with a quieter contingent astounded only by the fact that this kind of marketing could still be so effective.
—Amanda Petrusich, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
The more uptight Theo gets, the looser Benedict’s performance appears, and his facility for physical comedy gets a workout.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
Lord Doyle’s being pursued by an uptight watchdog (Tilda Swinton) sent by those holding the bag on his considerable debts, and his salvation may come from a mysterious ghostly gorgeous benefactor (Fala Chen) who stakes Doyle when no one else will.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for uptight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uptight
Adjective
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Residents of Cranbourne Hall Residential Park, the nearest neighborhood, are worried that the new home will be less private than the four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
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Haseebullah also is worried about the Cybertrucks’ surveillance abilities that the public may not be unaware of, and that the fleet might give Tesla access to police data.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The dogs' job on marathon day will be to calm race-day jitters at the starting line, where runners can feel overwhelmed or nervous about the trek ahead.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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There was a lot of nervous smiling.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Mamdani's win was seen as an upset to the establishment, since the 67-year-old Cuomo is the son of a three-time New York governor and held the position himself for a decade beginning in 2011.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
5 Nov. 2025
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Boise State fans could have been upset when they were upset at home by Fresno State as their season continued to slide away from them.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Redirect their attention If your dog is anxious and barking in a panic, your first step is to remove them from the trigger.—
Madeline Gunderson,
USA Today,
2 Nov. 2025
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Late nights and anxious supplications.—
Steve Rushin,
The Atlantic,
2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Across its run, The Witcher has traced the uneasy bond between Geralt of Rivia (Liam Hemsworth), the monster hunter bound by destiny; Ciri (Freya Allan), the princess whose power could save or destroy worlds; and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), the sorceress torn between ambition and love.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
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In the Odyssey, Homer depicts Helen and Menelaus’s reunion as uneasy and sometimes tearful, after years of estrangement.—
Elizabeth D. Samet,
Foreign Affairs,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Leo went on to become a troubled teen.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
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The hiccup capped a series of communications mishaps that irked employees as the troubled retailer rolled out its first major restructuring in nearly a decade.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Uptight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uptight. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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