adjective
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tightly stretched; tense
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showing nervous strain; stressed
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nautical in good order; neat
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of taut
1275–1325; earlier taught, Middle English tought; akin to tow 1
Explanation
Taut means tight rather than slack. The tightrope ought to be taut and not dangling down by the lion cage. It sounds like the word "taught" and means stretched tight, like a rope, muscles, or even nerves. It's nice to have a taut body with tight muscles, but not so great to have a taut mind — tightly wound and tense. "The Olympic gymnast's taut body was something she worked hard for, but she gave a taut reply to reporters who asked her so many questions about her past, which she wished to keep a secret." Taut is derived from an Old English word, meaning basically "to pull." If you're fishing, you're happy when your line becomes taut, because there's probably a fish pulling at it. Or an old boot.
Vocabulary lists containing taut
List 4
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"Beowulf," Vocabulary from the epic poem
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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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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.
Grasping a pair of dark grey trousers, it raised its upper body to stretch the fabric taut, before laying it flat and arranging it into neat halves.
From Barron's • Jun. 11, 2026
Trunk, branches, leaves and night sky form an intricate pattern, creating the taut balance between image and abstract form that O’Keeffe was achieving in many of her paintings of the 1920s.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
Sometimes I imagine the table, the net taut as a border fence.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026
Mitski’s songs have the taut efficiency of the best country-music songwriting, where a situation is introduced and played out to its conclusion, sometimes with an unexpected twist.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026
His face was taut, but a small smile played about his lips.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
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.
