belt-tightening

noun

Definition of belt-tighteningnext
as in austerity

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of belt-tightening The authors of the study blame backlash against DEI, industry contraction, and overall belt-tightening for the reversal of fortune. — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026 Some industries are correcting after the hiring boom of the pandemic, but this comes as AI adoption, softening consumer and corporate spending, and rising costs drive belt-tightening and hiring freezes. — Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025 While many companies around the country are belt-tightening and laying off employees (even juggernauts like Meta), there are plenty of AI giants and startups crowing about how much money their staff is spending in tokens. — Richard Nieva, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2026 The package extended the belt-tightening path South Africa has been on since 2018, when President Cyril Ramaphosa took over a fiscally strained by ballooning budget shortfalls, rising budget shortfalls and a cascade of credit rating cuts. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for belt-tightening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for belt-tightening
  1. austerity
  2. deprivation
  3. pinching
  4. privation
  5. misery
  6. exigency
  7. emergency
Noun
  • Respondents expressed that while hiring and promotion freezes, budget cuts and layoffs were reduced compared to 2024, economic austerity remains at organizations, adding pressure to existing teams and reducing security resilience.
    — Ipsita Mohanty, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The departure of Adorni — who, as Milei’s spokesperson, emerged in 2023 as the face of his strict austerity program and anti-corruption drive — costs the president one of his most trusted and longtime aides.
    — Clara Preve, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026
Definition of austerity
Noun
  • Sleep deprivation strips away that capacity, often resulting in erratic outbursts or defensive behaviors that dismantle trust instantly.
    — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • High doses of creatine helped people with sleep deprivation perform better.
    — Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 3 July 2026
Definition of deprivation
Noun
  • The headband is flexible for a perfect fit, and the adjustable earcups have plush cushioning to prevent pinching.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026
  • The Maui flip-flops target key pressure points on the sole of the foot to help evenly distribute weight and reduce stress, while the wide toe post is designed to minimize pinching and blisters.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 13 June 2026
Definition of pinching
Noun
  • Still, the mesh grids spreading across Haiti's countryside prove that the country's energy story may transcend the privation.
    — Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • These are people who still carry within them memories of war, occupation, and stretches of extreme privation.
    — Thomas Chatterton Williams, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
Definition of privation
Noun
  • Nobody, save biblical Job, has had more misery hurled at them.
    — Alex Pulaski, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Salvador Perez added to Sanchez's misery with his 11th home run in the second.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 July 2026
Definition of misery
Noun
  • Potential finalists will be notified via email and will be required to complete and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, License of Work and Release of Liability/Publicity within three (3) days of date of notification, or a shorter time if required by exigencies, or a runner-up may be selected.
    — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
  • The exigencies of the Revolution lead to promising more people representation.
    — KEN BURNS, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026
Definition of exigency
Noun
  • Some two dozen nations have sent some 3,000 emergency personnel to Venezuela.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
  • City officials credited drone technology, lifeguards and emergency management teams with helping monitor shark activity and quickly alert swimmers.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026
Definition of emergency

Browse Nearby Words

belts up
belt-tightening
belt-tightenings
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Cite this Entry

“Belt-tightening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/belt-tightening. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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