TIGHTEN Synonyms: 14 Similar and Opposite Words

tighten

verb

ˈtī-tᵊn

Definition of tighten

as in to tense

to draw tight tighten the straps on the backpack so that the load doesn't shift while hiking

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 tighten The big-box retailer has also benefited from wealthier consumers’ trading down as Americans tighten their budgets. — Kayla Steinberg, NBC news, 20 Aug. 2026 The organization said the changes are intended to keep its textile and leather labels compliant as the bloc tightens its restrictions on green claims. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026 The race tightened dramatically after outside political groups poured millions of dollars into advertising ahead of Tuesday’s runoff. — Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026 In Antonioni’s film, after a woman disappears during a boating vacation, her partner and her best friend travel around looking for her, while the bond between them tightens and their grip on the threads of certainty loosens. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tighten

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tighten

Verb

The women tensed when the deputy warden of the Rostov jail, a curt, imperious man with a heavy-footed gait, walked in.

— Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
As that handover proceeds, the excitatory signal that keeps your muscles faintly tensed all day begins to withdraw, and muscle tone drops toward the near-paralysis of deep sleep.

— Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of tense

Verb

The seasonal calendar is stretching earlier, chains are competing to own the first sip of autumn, and customers are voting with their orders.

— Lauren Schuster, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2026
And Experian IdentityWorks is a solid, affordable pick if you're already stretched thin by loan payments, with a free tier and paid plans still under $25 a month for three-bureau coverage.

— Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of stretch

Browse Nearby Words

tight

tighten

tightened

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tighten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tighten. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of tighten

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

southpaw

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes