tighten

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'tighten' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it as a verb to mean to make more tight or secure, or as a noun to refer to the act of tightening something. Example sentence: "The mechanic tightened the screws on the car's engine."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

In fact Shorten announced no new spending cuts or revenue raising measures beyond the already announced policies to tighten superannuation tax concessions and raise more money from foreign multinationals, which the government has already rejected.

The Guardian

The Yemeni government had already announced a plan to tighten security measures at foreign embassies – particularly those of western countries – sea ports and airports and other facilities of strategic importance, including oil pipelines and power grids.

The Guardian

"Every time I would tell him I didn't know what he was talking about, he would tighten my cuffs up, real tight, against the wall," she said.

The Guardian

ASPIA ran a strong public campaign against a proposal by the ALP to tighten the rules governing the private use of company cars under the fringe benefits tax regime.

The Guardian

"We must all tighten belts to keep going".

The Guardian

A leaked, confidential report by Serco – the security company managing all immigration detention centres in Australia – also shows the extraordinary measures being undertaken to tighten security in the detention network, borrowing from military practise and those used by Asio, and the relaxed regulation of the use of force.

The Guardian

However, if the contest were to tighten, the choice of words could prove to be decisive.

The Guardian

Saturday's Football League action has been decimated as the freezing weather conditions tighten their grip on sport.

The Guardian - Sport

George Osborne is to tighten the rules for tackling the budget deficit as he seeks to ensure that Britain can run a surplus in the next parliament in a move designed to outfox Ed Balls in the runup to the election.

The Guardian

Ministers had promised to tighten up the control of covert operations after revelations about the conduct of undercover officers – such as Mark Kennedy who infiltrated environmental groups for seven years – began to emerge in 2011.

The Guardian

The report called on governments to tighten laws to protect women in the workplace.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing financial policy, use "tighten" to indicate actions taken by central banks to reduce the money supply or increase interest rates.

Common error

Avoid using "tighten" in contexts where "improve" or "streamline" would be more appropriate. "Tighten" implies making something literally or figuratively more constricted, not simply better.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "tighten" is as a verb, used transitively or intransitively to describe the act of making something tighter, more secure, or more restricted. Ludwig AI confirms its common usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tighten" is a versatile verb used to describe the act of making something more secure, restricted, or intense. Ludwig AI confirms that it is grammatically correct and widely applicable across diverse contexts, including news, business, and scientific writing. While it's a common word, it's important to use it precisely, avoiding metaphorical applications where other words like "improve" might be more fitting. Related phrases such as "make more secure" or "restrict" can be used depending on the intended meaning. It's a valuable term for expressing control and enforcement in various situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

make more secure

This alternative focuses on the act of enhancing security, a common implication of "tighten".

increase security

This alternative directly addresses the concept of making security higher or stronger.

reinforce

This alternative implies strengthening something that already exists, similar to "tighten".

strengthen controls

This alternative emphasizes making controls more robust or effective.

enhance

This alternative focuses on improving the state or quality of something, which can include making it tighter.

restrict

This alternative implies limiting or controlling something more firmly.

make stricter

This alternative specifically refers to enforcing rules or regulations more rigorously.

clamp down on

This alternative suggests a forceful and decisive action to suppress or control something.

increase the intensity

This alternative highlights making something more severe or forceful.

turn the screw

This alternative is an idiomatic expression referring to applying more pressure or force.

FAQs

How can I use "tighten" in a sentence?

You can use "tighten" to describe making something physically tighter, like "Please tighten the screws". It can also describe making rules or controls stricter, such as "The government plans to tighten immigration laws".

What can I say instead of "tighten"?

Alternatives to "tighten" include "make more secure", "restrict", or "strengthen controls", depending on the specific context.

Which is correct: "tighten the security" or "tighten security"?

"Tighten security" is generally preferred and more concise. However, "tighten the security" is also grammatically correct, especially when referring to a specific security measure.

What's the difference between "tighten" and "loosen"?

"Tighten" means to make something firmer or more constricted, while "loosen" means to make something less firm or less constricted. They are antonyms.