How to Use taut in a Sentence

taut

adjective
  • The book is a taut thriller.
  • The rope was drawn taut.
  • Shape dough into two taut balls.
    — Emily Teel, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Apr. 2026
  • Pull skin taut and swiftly peel back with the grain of your hair.
    — Jacqueline Saguin, Good Housekeeping, 7 July 2022
  • To find the right rope length, stand on the middle of the rope and pull it taut.
    — New York Times, 7 Jan. 2022
  • Sharp ribs and taut thighs versus how tender the pink soles of his feet had looked.
    — Jessica Leon, EW.com, 27 Feb. 2023
  • The edges of the skin were bubbled and charred, but the center was taut and stretchy.
    — Hannah Goldfield, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2022
  • Tom had to insure that my breast was pulled completely taut.
    — Amanda Peet, New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Her joints ached, and her legs were frequently taut with fluid.
    — Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Weilerstein’s lines were pulled taut like the cables of a bridge.
    — Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 20 May 2022
  • Wish’s taut writing makes the book a cut above the average who-done-it.
    — Sandra Dallas, The Denver Post, 25 Feb. 2024
  • As for the eggplant, choose vegetables with shiny, taut skin and firm stems.
    — Emily Horton, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
  • Sunday’s taut game did not let a manager sit back and spectate.
    — Matt Kawahara, San Francisco Chronicle, 10 Apr. 2022
  • While the climax sputters a bit, the rest is taut and engrossing.
    — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The ride is taut and well damped, and the car stays flat and secure during cornering.
    — Joe Lorio, Car and Driver, 28 June 2023
  • To reduce drownings, any ravine or body of water will be edged with taut elastic ropes.
    — Megan Amram, The New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2022
  • Attach cords to the grommets on the side or corners, and tie them to trees or stake the cords down to keep it taut.
    — Field & Stream Commerce Team, Field & Stream, 14 Feb. 2023
  • When Kunce speaks, his arm gestures are coiled, taut, emphatic.
    — Bill Donahue, Washington Post, 20 June 2022
  • Pick a medium-sized sweet potato with smooth, taut, unblemished skin.
    — Sherri Gordon, Health, 25 Nov. 2025
  • Soccer is a taut group dance with a quick tempo on a green, rectangular stage.
    — Annie-B Parson, The Atlantic, 11 Dec. 2022
  • Katie Kitamura’s fourth novel spins a taut web of dread from the start.
    — The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 22 Dec. 2021
  • Run is a taut thriller that feels like an elevated Lifetime movie in all the right ways.
    — Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 25 Nov. 2023
  • Run is a taut thriller that feels like an elevated Lifetime movie in all the right ways.
    — Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Feb. 2026
  • These elements come through in the close-ups on faces taut with resolve or frustration.
    — Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2022
  • After building the frame out of four bamboo poles joined by twine, run the twine up and down the frame, keeping it taut.
    — Jill Gleeson, Country Living, 31 Mar. 2023
  • These pretty, super-soft ties are strong enough to keep your look taut, but won't tug or leave a kink in your hair when removed.
    — Lindy Segal, Harper's BAZAAR, 14 July 2022
  • My line went taut, and then the rig danced down the gunnel like a sewing machine needle toward the motor.
    — Bryan Hendricks, Arkansas Online, 10 June 2023
  • One relayed the flavors of fresh apricots, honeyed and floral and taut.
    — Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2023
  • But where that show had strong characters and changes of tone in a taut timeline, this lacks variety and range.
    — David Benedict, Variety, 9 June 2023
  • Our skin also appeared stronger and more taut, with less noticeable wrinkles.
    — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 29 Dec. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'taut.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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