tighten

verb

USTY-tuhn/ˈtaɪ.tən/

4 meanings of tighten

1
verbtransitive
To make something firmer or harder to move, like a screw or knot.
Like turning a jar lid until it won't twist any further.
Please tighten the screws before you hang the shelf.
She tightened her grip on the rope as she climbed.
Similarsecure, fasten, tauten, cinch
Oppositeloosen, slacken, undo, release
Note
2
verbintransitive
To get firmer, narrower, or harder to move on its own.
Like a knot that pulls snug as you tug both ends.
The rope tightened as the boat pulled away from the dock.
Her muscles tighten whenever she feels nervous.
Similartense, constrict, contract, stiffen, tauten
Oppositeloosen, relax, slacken
3
verbtransitive
To make it harder for people and businesses to borrow money.
Banks tighten lending whenever the economy starts to look risky.
The government tightened credit to slow down rising prices.
Similarrestrict, curb, squeeze, limit
Oppositeloosen, ease, relax
Note
4
verbintransitive
To raise the interest rates charged on short-term loans.
Like raising the price of borrowing so fewer people take out loans.
The central bank decided to tighten and raised rates by half a point.
Policymakers tightened again, pushing short-term rates higher last month.
Oppositeease, loosen
Note

Practice

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Origin

Today it looks like 'tight' plus '-en', but it really comes from Middle English tighten, from Old English tyhtan, and was not originally linked to 'tight'.