belt-tightening
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of belt-tightening
First recorded in 1935–40
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.
Wolfe doesn’t have to leave home to find tales of belt-tightening; she’s feeling the pinch herself.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 1, 2026
But aware of the risks, it has brought in a series of belt-tightening measures - including declaring Wednesdays a public holiday and bringing in fuel rationing.
From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026
Few observers think the union is girding for another showdown, especially at a time when many of its members are struggling to find work amid media consolidation and belt-tightening.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 14, 2026
But growing AI adoption, softening consumer and corporate spending, and belt-tightening driven by higher costs likely played a role as well.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 6, 2025
Some 30,000 positions will be cut in a belt-tightening move expected to begin on Tuesday, multiple news outlets reported.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2025
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
