tighten
verb (used with or without object)
have been tightening
-
present perfect progressiveof tighten.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
Lending standards have been tightening across the private-credit industry, the result of worsening loan performance and increased scrutiny from investors, including wealthy individuals who are rethinking how much they invest in private credit.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
British shoppers have been tightening their belts amid rising prices on the UK high street, leading them to spend less on things like fashion and turning to even cheaper competitors such as Shein and Temu.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2025
Across the industry, major Hollywood studios have been tightening their belts and decreasing their output after overspending during the so-called streaming wars in an effort to compete with Netflix.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2024
But at the same time, lenders have been tightening the terms of car loans as they deal with a rising number of delinquencies.
From New York Times ● Mar. 8, 2024
Supplies have been tightening as crop problems in West Africa contribute to a large global deficit expected in the current 2022/23 crop season.
From Reuters ● Aug. 30, 2023
