tighten
verb (used with or without object)
had tightened
-
past perfectof tighten.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That in turn, de Croo warned, had tightened space for developing countries to access the capital they needed to combat the shocks, with rising interest rates feeding into increasing debt payments.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Prices were already set to rise before the Iran conflict started, as a large recent order from India for urea fertilizer had tightened supplies.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 2, 2026
Others had tightened their snack and bag policies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025
Meanwhile, authorities in India said they had tightened security around the embassy and other Israeli establishments in Delhi.
From BBC ● Dec. 27, 2023
There was sorrow in Kino’s rage, but this last thing had tightened him beyond breaking.
From "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck
