uptight

adjective

ˈəp-ˈtīt How to pronounce uptight (audio)
Definition of uptightnext
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

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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 Anna and Tom’s daughter, Natalie (Lily Collias), views Cady as a source who might finally tell her the truth about her uptight mother and avoidant stepfather. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 26 June 2026 The film’s director, uptight Euro expat Max (Christoph Waltz), is initially enraged by their hijacking of the shoot, but his studio fatcat bosses (both voiced by Jeff Bridges) love the unhinged results. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 22 June 2026 After granting his request to aid his cause, Sharako insists that the uptight Lannister prove his worth by wrestling her in a mud pit. — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 21 June 2026 Dabbling in this culinary staple is an antidote to uptight, disciplined design. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for uptight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uptight
  1. worried
  2. nervous
  3. upset
  4. anxious
  5. uneasy
  6. troubled
Adjective
  • Truth is, Westside Cowboy — all of whom are in their early to mid-twenties — are just as worried about it all as anyone else.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Buyers were interested but worried about the optics of a show revolving around two wealthy, gallivanting white guys.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • Severe illness can affect the central nervous symptom and result in hospitalization or death.
    — Rashad Williams, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Given all that, is Green nervous about working within the system once more?
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • Once the veteran players and most of the top seeds vanished from the Canadian Open, succumbing to injury and upset, the stakes of the tournament in Montreal took on a new edge.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Council member Chris Whatley said the entire council has been upset about the news of a data center, and vowed to do everything in his official capacity to protect Keller residents.
    — Fousia Abdullahi, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of upset
Adjective
  • And the more anxious students become about their career prospects, the more attractive banks and banking clubs become.
    — Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • While Turkey and Pakistan, on the borders of the Middle East, have avoided significant direct attacks, both are anxious to calm conflicts that threaten their own security and economic health.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • Some users appeared to grow uneasy, even as Polymarket let people bet on whether the fires would spread to nearby counties or when they might be contained.
    — Cole Reynolds, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The doll arrives at an uneasy moment for the brand it’s built on.
    — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • Both scandals spurred reforms by state lawmakers that nevertheless failed to streamline a complex disciplinary process and left gaps for troubled businesses to continue operating.
    — Gregory Royal Pratt, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Jesus showed that physical problems, troubled relationships, financial needs, and even personal wilderness experiences can be resolved by holding thought to Mind’s all-powerful, entirely good reality.
    — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of troubled

Browse Nearby Words

upticks
uptight
up till
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Cite this Entry

“Uptight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uptight. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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