tight

1 of 2

adjective

1
a
: having elements close together
a tight formation
a tight line of type
b
: so close in structure as to prevent passage or escape (as of liquid, gas, or light)
a tight ship
a tight seal
compare lightproof, watertight
c
: fitting very close to the body
tight jeans
also : too snug
tight shoes
d(1)
: closely packed : very full
a tight bale of hay
(2)
: barely allowing time for completion
a tight schedule
tight deadlines
e
: allowing little or no room for free motion or movement
a tight connection
a tight crawl space
also : having a small radius
a tight turn
2
a
: strongly fixed or held : secure
a tight jar lid
a tight grip on the ladder
b(1)
: not slack or loose : taut
kept the reins tight
a tight knot
a tight drumhead
also : marked by firmness and muscle tone
a tight stomach
(2)
: marked by unusual tension (as in the face or body)
lips tight with anger
a family tight with fear
3
a
: difficult to cope with
in a tight spot financially
b
: relatively difficult to obtain
money is tight just now
also : characterized by such difficulty
a tight job market
c
: not liberal in giving : stingy
tight with a penny
4
: characterized by little difference in the relative positions of contestants with respect to final outcome : close
a tight race for mayor
5
a
: characterized by firmness or strictness in control or application or in attention to details
tight security
ran a tight newsroom
keeps a tight hand on her investments
b
: marked by control or discipline in expression or style : having little or no extraneous matter
tight writing
c
: characterized by a polished style and precise arrangements in music performance
6
: having a close personal or working relationship : intimate
is tight with the boss
7
: being such that the subject fills the frame
a tight close-up
8
: somewhat drunk
9
chiefly dialectal : capable, competent
tightly adverb
tightness noun

tight

2 of 2

adverb

1
: fast, tightly, firmly
the door was shut tight
2
: in a sound manner : soundly
sleep tight

Examples of tight in a Sentence

Adjective The lid is too tight. I can't loosen it. She made a tight knot in the rope. Keep a tight grip on his hand when you cross the street. Pull the ribbon tight and make a bow. Adverb Is the door shut tight? She screwed the cap on tight. Don't close the lid so tight. We were packed as tight as sardines on the bus.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Chief among these attributes is a songbook that’s deep and sturdy, weathered enough to showcase how the trio is a tight and efficient unit, keeping hooks at the forefront without succumbing to the formalism of power pop. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2024 Chicken leg and thigh had been brined in buttermilk and dredged in potato flour for a crust with a tight, rippling crackle. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2024 The election has been widely criticized for its lack of democratic choice, with antiwar candidates and genuine opposition figures barred from running, and with the Kremlin maintaining tight control over the media, security services and the election commission. Robyn Dixon The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 16 Mar. 2024 Instead, he and Dolan are locked in a tight battle as the race nears its end − with many Republicans still unsure who to support. Haley Bemiller, The Enquirer, 16 Mar. 2024 Mishaps usually occur when garments are too tight or layered. Lauren Rowello, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024 Posting a few mirror selfies, the rapper wore a tight T-shirt that showcased her growing belly. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 15 Mar. 2024 Smallmouth Bass Where: In swollen, dirty rivers, smallmouths will congregate in the paths of least resistance, which is typically tight to the bank in areas with slower current and moderate depth. Joe Cermele, Field & Stream, 14 Mar. 2024 During a walk through the Huntington Botanical Gardens with her mother one morning, Brenda Ramirez was alarmed by the sudden squawks, warbles, and screeches of troops of parrots flying overhead at great speed in tight, precise formations. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024
Adverb
But stock market analysts say not to fret and to hold tight. Nicole Goodkind, CNN, 5 Mar. 2024 In some ways, this shift felt entirely predictable, as if a rubber band stretched tight had snapped back to laxity. Jonah Weiner, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 An extreme cold front is coming through Wednesday morning, putting us back in our winter coats bundled up tight. Miriam Marini, Detroit Free Press, 27 Feb. 2024 Both teams battled throughout the second half with the game tight all the way to the midway point of the fourth quarter. Nathan Canilao, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024 Houses stacked tight along a narrow road, the buildings go on for miles, no end to the concrete clusters in sight. Holly Jones, Variety, 20 Feb. 2024 With the industry still in its early days and venture capital funding tight, Molino welcomes a more stepwise approach to scaling cultured meat rather than betting big on vast meat-brewing factories. Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 14 Feb. 2024 Some sat in white rocking chairs, holding tight to their phone lists. Deborah Barfield Berry, USA TODAY, 2 Feb. 2024 With a pleated front and corseted back, the gown hugged her figure tight and gave her Jessica Rabbit curves. Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English tiht, thyht dense, solid, watertight, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse thēttr tight; akin to Middle High German dīhte thick, Sanskrit tanakti it causes to coagulate

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

1680, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of tight was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near tight

Cite this Entry

“Tight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tight. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tight

1 of 2 adjective
1
: so close in structure as not to allow something (as liquid, gas, or light) to pass through
a tight roof
2
a
: fixed very firmly in place
loosen a tight jar cover
b
: not slack or loose
kept the rope tight
a tight knot
c
: fitting too closely
tight shoes
3
: difficult to get through or out of
in a tight spot
on a tight schedule
4
a
: firm in control
kept a tight hand on affairs
5
: very closely packed or compressed
a tight bale of hay
6
: low in supply : scarce
money is tight just now
tightly adverb
tightness noun

tight

2 of 2 adverb
1
a
: in a tight manner
hold on tight
b
: so as to be tight
shut the door tight
wound the spring tight
2
: in a deep and uninterrupted manner : soundly
sleep tight

More from Merriam-Webster on tight

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