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
Relevance
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
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
-
My client is worried about losing benefits, which is not a reason to worry.—
Diane Omdahl,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
-
Investors had also been worried about the fallout from sweeping U.S. tariffs that are prompting businesses to rein in spending.—
Deborah Sophia and Aditya Soni,
USA Today,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
Dellow was nervous about rush hour traffic, but the Uber dropped Nikishin off at 6:45 p.m. at the airport.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
-
Your younger colleague is nervous about each conversation.—
Jay Sullivan,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Gannon informed Nolen that Johnson was a little upset with falling into the second round.—
Doug Haller,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2025
-
In medical settings, it's used to treat poisoning, overdoses, high cholesterol, hangovers, and upset stomach.—
Ashley Wong,
Health,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Professionally, Xavier is anxious about future tax exposure from his deferred compensation.—
Brian Lasher,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Another reason people put off going to bed is to avoid feeling anxious or restless, said James Rowley, MD, a sleep medicine expert at Rush University Medical Center and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Markets have been turbulent ever since as trade policy uncertainty leaves investors uneasy.—
Chris DiLella,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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 5 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share