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View synonyms for

tight

[ tahyt ]

adjective

tighter, tightest.
  1. firmly or closely fixed in place; not easily moved; secure:

    a tight knot.

  2. drawn or stretched so as to be tense; taut.
  3. affording little or no extra room; fitting closely, especially too closely:

    a tight collar.

  4. difficult to deal with or manage:

    to be in a tight situation.

  5. of such close or compacted texture, or fitted together so closely, as to be impervious to water, air, steam, etc.:

    a good, tight roof.

  6. a tight style of writing.

  7. his tight control of the company.

  8. carefully arranged or organized and full; affording little leeway; packed:

    a tight schedule.

  9. nearly even; close:

    a tight race.

  10. Informal.
    1. close, as friends; familiar or intimate.
    2. united:

      The strikers are tight in their refusal to accept the proposed contract.

  11. Synonyms: , , , ,

  12. Slang. amazing; cool:

    Your new place is tight!

  13. Older Slang. drunk; tipsy.
  14. characterized by scarcity or eager demand; limited; restricted:

    a tight job market;

    tight money.

  15. Journalism. (of a newspaper) having more news available than is required for or utilizable in a particular issue.
  16. Baseball. inside ( def 18 ).
  17. Scot. and North England. competent or skillful.
  18. neatly or well built or made.


adverb

tighter, tightest.
  1. in a tight manner; closely; securely; tautly; firmly:

    Shut the door tight.

    The shirt fit tight across the shoulders.

  2. soundly or deeply:

    to sleep tight.

tight

/ ٲɪ /

adjective

  1. stretched or drawn so as not to be loose; taut

    a tight cord

  2. fitting or covering in a close manner

    a tight dress

  3. held, made, fixed, or closed firmly and securely

    a tight knot

    1. of close and compact construction or organization, esp so as to be impervious to water, air, etc
    2. ( in combination )

      watertight

      airtight

  4. unyielding or stringent

    to keep a tight hold on resources

  5. cramped or constricted

    a tight fit

  6. mean or miserly
  7. difficult and problematic

    a tight situation

  8. hardly profitable

    a tight bargain

  9. economics
    1. (of a commodity) difficult to obtain; in excess demand
    2. (of funds, money, etc) difficult and expensive to borrow because of high demand or restrictive monetary policy
    3. (of markets) characterized by excess demand or scarcity with prices tending to rise Compare easy
  10. (of a match or game) very close or even
  11. (of a team or group, esp of a pop group) playing well together, in a disciplined coordinated way
  12. informal.
    drunk
  13. informal.
    (of a person) showing tension
  14. archaic.
    neat
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. in a close, firm, or secure way

    pull it tight

  2. sit tight
    1. to wait patiently; bide one's time
    2. to maintain one's position, stand, or opinion firmly
  3. sleep tight
    to sleep soundly
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈپٱ, adverb
  • ˈپٲԱ, noun
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Other Word Forms

  • پl adverb
  • پn noun
  • v·پ adjective
  • over·پl adverb
  • over·پn noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tight1

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, pronunciation variant of Middle English thight “dense, solid, tight,” from Old Norse ٳŧٳٰ (cognate with Old English -thiht “firm, solid,” Dutch, German dicht “tight, close, dense”)
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Word History and Origins

Origin of tight1

C14: probably variant of thight, from Old Norse ٳŧٳٰ close; related to Middle High German īٱ thick
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. sit tight, to take no action.

More idioms and phrases containing tight

  • in a bind (tight corner)
  • sit tight
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

In the past, the administration has said that tight security restrictions are needed to protect children.

From

A notable exception was Century City, which is experiencing tight occupancy and some of the highest rents in the West.

From

When money was tight or I needed something fast, the price and convenience were hard to ignore.

From

Bilbao got the better of Rangers in the last round and I am expecting two pretty tight games.

From

Sharpe, a Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end, first addressed the allegations Tuesday in a video posted on Instagram, in which he called the lawsuit “a shakedown.”

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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Tiggerishtight as a drum