Synonyms for tighten

Most common

constrain · stiffen · reduce · stretch · squeeze · brace · fasten · cinch

All synonyms

Verb

Antonyms

loosen, loose, divide

All antonyms of tighten →

Definitions

1. v. 1

   To make tighter.

   Please tighten that screw a quarter-turn.

Related words

Word family

tight

Phrases

tighten up

Forms

Past participle

tightened
e.g. tightened → stiffened, constrained, squeezed, braced…

Example sentences

• constrain What human trespass would constrain thy power, O Zeus?
• stiffen Dad used spray starch to stiffen his dress shirts.
• reduce How can we reduce the number of highway accidents?
• stretch My friend got to ride a stretch limousine to prom!
• squeeze Everyone squeeze together so I can take a picture.
• brace Yanni brought his mother a back brace from the UK.

Popularity over time

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

5 letters

tense¹, brace¹, cinch¹

6 letters

reduce², strain¹, fasten², tauten

7 letters

stretch¹, squeeze¹, stiffen²

9 letters

constrain²

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (reduce² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français

resserrer

Deutsch

zusammenziehen