tighten
- 01 B1 Intermediate
to make something more firm, closed, or secure so it does not move.
to make something more secure or less loose by applying force or tension.
Simple“You should tighten the screws on the chair so it stops shaking.”
In context“The mechanic had to tighten the bolts on the engine block to prevent oil from leaking during high-speed operation.”
UsageOften used with 'up' as a phrasal verb for emphasis.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to become stiff or tense, often because you are nervous or angry.
to become tense or rigid, particularly in reference to muscles or emotional states.
Simple“His jaw started to tighten as he listened to the bad news.”
In context“Her grip on the steering wheel began to tighten as the fog grew thicker and the road became more dangerous.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
to make laws, rules, or security more strict.
to make a law, rule, or system of control more restrictive or effective.
Simple“The airport decided to tighten security after the recent incidents.”
In context“The government plans to tighten the regulations on carbon emissions to meet its environmental targets by the end of the decade.”
Synonyms - 04 C1 Advanced
to make it harder for people or businesses to borrow money.
to reduce the availability of money or credit in an economy, often by raising interest rates.
Simple“The central bank may tighten its policy to stop prices from rising too fast.”
In context“Economists predict the Federal Reserve will tighten monetary policy in response to the unexpected surge in inflationary pressure.”
UsageCommonly appears in the phrase 'tighten monetary policy'.
Usage tightened security
“Moroccan police have arrested 111 people as they tried to enter Spain’s north African territory of Ceuta, amid tightened security on both sides after social media posts called for another mass crossing.”
“The definition of a vape shop will also be tightened to stop businesses getting around the new rules by claiming to be a general convenience store or retailer.”
Synchronically equivalent to tight + -en, but actually derived from Middle English tighten, from Old English tyhtan, thus originally unrelated to tight (Old English *þiht).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.