as in tensing
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 tightening
WeTransfer built its name on sending big files, then spent the last year tightening its free plan and cutting features creative teams relied on.
—
Stackcommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
5 July 2026
Trump, meanwhile, has continued tightening his grip on the Republican Party, backing primary challengers against lawmakers who have broken with him.
—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
4 July 2026
Those assets have never been more valuable in the modern game, given the new lottery system and tightening salary cap constraints.
—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
Pahira's death comes as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has made tightening commercial driver licensing rules a top priority following multiple fatal crashes involving non-domiciled CDL holders over the past two years.
—
Elaine Mallon , James Cirrone , Bill Melugin,
FOXNews.com,
4 July 2026
Brockton is tightening security for the next Cape Verde World Cup game after violent celebrations in the Massachusetts city during the opening games of the tournament.
—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
2 July 2026
Yes, the program faces an ever-tightening budget squeeze over the next handful of years, according to a report this month from the Social Security fund's trustees.
—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
2 July 2026
Many industrial societies are facing aging populations, tightening labor markets and growing shortages of skilled workers.
—
Arungalai Anbarasu,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
High-end and super-premium American whiskey volumes have grown substantially over the past decade, tightening availability of exactly the kind of aged inventory that investors are helping to create.
—
William Jones,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
Stackcommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
5 July 2026
Trump, meanwhile, has continued tightening his grip on the Republican Party, backing primary challengers against lawmakers who have broken with him.
—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
4 July 2026
Those assets have never been more valuable in the modern game, given the new lottery system and tightening salary cap constraints.
—
Nick Friedell,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
Pahira's death comes as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has made tightening commercial driver licensing rules a top priority following multiple fatal crashes involving non-domiciled CDL holders over the past two years.
—
Elaine Mallon , James Cirrone , Bill Melugin,
FOXNews.com,
4 July 2026
Brockton is tightening security for the next Cape Verde World Cup game after violent celebrations in the Massachusetts city during the opening games of the tournament.
—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
2 July 2026
Yes, the program faces an ever-tightening budget squeeze over the next handful of years, according to a report this month from the Social Security fund's trustees.
—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
2 July 2026
Many industrial societies are facing aging populations, tightening labor markets and growing shortages of skilled workers.
—
Arungalai Anbarasu,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
High-end and super-premium American whiskey volumes have grown substantially over the past decade, tightening availability of exactly the kind of aged inventory that investors are helping to create.
—
William Jones,
USA Today,
29 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tightening
Verb
-
Ewing has recognized his shoulders tensing and his upper body going stiff.
-
Limited rib mobility interferes with the ability to breathe deeply, triggering your body’s stress response, which increases muscle tensing as a guarding mechanism.
Verb
-
Since then, the United States has expanded from 13 colonies along the Atlantic coast to 50 states stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific and beyond.
-
There are brisk 7am forest walks, group yoga, breath work, and a class on Lanserhof healing exercises, which combine stretching, tapping, and movement.
Cite this Entry
“Tightening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tightening. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
