tight
Americanadjective
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tighter,
comparative
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tightest
superlative
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firmly or closely fixed in place; not easily moved; secure.
a tight knot.
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drawn or stretched so as to be tense; taut.
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affording little or no extra room; fitting closely, especially too closely.
a tight collar.
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difficult to deal with or manage.
to be in a tight situation.
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of such close or compacted texture, or fitted together so closely, as to be impervious to water, air, steam, etc..
a good, tight roof.
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a tight style of writing.
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his tight control of the company.
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carefully arranged or organized and full; affording little leeway; packed.
a tight schedule.
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nearly even; close.
a tight race.
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Informal.
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close, as friends; familiar or intimate.
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united.
The strikers are tight in their refusal to accept the proposed contract.
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-
Your new place is tight!
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characterized by scarcity or eager demand; limited; restricted.
a tight job market;
tight money.
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Journalism. (of a newspaper) having more news available than is required for or utilizable in a particular issue.
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Baseball. inside.
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Scot. and North England. competent or skillful.
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neatly or well built or made.
adverb
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in a tight manner; closely; securely; tautly; firmly.
Shut the door tight.
The shirt fit tight across the shoulders.
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soundly or deeply.
to sleep tight.
idioms
adjective
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stretched or drawn so as not to be loose; taut
a tight cord
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fitting or covering in a close manner
a tight dress
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held, made, fixed, or closed firmly and securely
a tight knot
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of close and compact construction or organization, esp so as to be impervious to water, air, etc
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( in combination )
watertight
airtight
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unyielding or stringent
to keep a tight hold on resources
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cramped or constricted
a tight fit
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mean or miserly
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difficult and problematic
a tight situation
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hardly profitable
a tight bargain
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economics
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(of a commodity) difficult to obtain; in excess demand
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(of funds, money, etc) difficult and expensive to borrow because of high demand or restrictive monetary policy
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(of markets) characterized by excess demand or scarcity with prices tending to rise Compare easy
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(of a match or game) very close or even
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(of a team or group, esp of a pop group) playing well together, in a disciplined coordinated way
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informal drunk
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informal (of a person) showing tension
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archaic neat
adverb
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in a close, firm, or secure way
pull it tight
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to wait patiently; bide one's time
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to maintain one's position, stand, or opinion firmly
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to sleep soundly
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of tight
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, pronunciation variant of Middle English thight “dense, solid, tight,” from Old Norse thēttr (cognate with Old English -thiht “firm, solid,” Dutch, German dicht “tight, close, dense”)
Explanation
If something is closed or fastened so firmly that it can barely be moved, it's tight. And if you accidentally shrunk your favorite pair of jeans in the wash, they might be tight too. There are many ways to use this handy adjective, including to mean "very firm," like the tight grip you keep on your dog's leash, and "strictly imposed," like a movie star's tight security. If things in your household are tight, they're scarce: "Money's tight this month, so it's peanut butter for lunch." And if you and your cousin are tight, it means you're emotionally close to each other.
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.
See Examples For:
He credited both a tight labor market and asset-pricing strength for the willingness of U.S. consumers to spend.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 10, 2026
She added that they already had "such a tight window" to clean properties in time for the next guests.
From BBC ● Nov. 8, 2026
In the race for District 9, both Jose Ugarte and Estuardo Mazariegos remain locked in a tight contest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2026
The tight margin means it could be weeks before a definitive outcome is known, as New Zealand counts some ballots—known as special votes—up to 10 days after election day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2026
“It’s not a debt, Harry,” he said, hands tight on the wheel.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
The route has grown in prominence amid tighter controls and increased cooperation between European countries and North African states, which may have diverted some journeys away from the central Mediterranean.
From BBC ● Nov. 9, 2026
These bonds saw tighter yield spreads over benchmark Treasurys.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
While ballots are still being counted around the country, more than three dozen local measures have already passed that resulted in tighter regulations for data centers, according to consulting firm Redbud Consulting.
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
Higher prices have already led to tighter financing conditions in Europe, adding another headwind for German manufacturers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
But with each word that left Lev’s mouth, my grip on the sponge grew tighter.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
The Michigan Senate seat, previously held by retiring Democrat Gary Peters, was considered by analysts to be one of the tightest races in Tuesday's midterm elections.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026
“It’s the tightest turnaround in MCG history. Getting it right matters, because the AFL finals are one of the most important times of the year for us.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
In February, for instance, the U.S.-Japan 2-year-yield spread was the tightest since early 2022.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Series creator Christopher Storer conveys this in the briefest, tightest shots of hands lovingly plating food, as well as in panoramic views of the series as a whole.
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
She holds her arms out, and I let her wrap me up in the biggest, tightest hug I didn’t know I needed.
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
