tighten up

verb

tightened up; tightening up; tightens up
: to become more strict or effective or to make (something) more strict or effective
Security around the building has tightened up recently.
They tightened up security around the building.

Examples of tighten up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ecuador's defense has tightened up significantly over the course of this first half. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 26 June 2026 Mejuri has also been tightening up its operations due to the changing times. — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 26 May 2026 Uber is tightening up background checks on its drivers amid pressure from lawmakers in several states and a number of high-profile lawsuits. — Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 27 June 2026 There’s a lot to tighten up here, and most of the time, this movie ends with him as the fourth-best player on his G League team before landing in Hungary. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for tighten up

Rhymes for tighten up

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Browse Nearby Words

tighten the screws
tighten up
tightfisted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tighten up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tighten%20up. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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