tight ship

Idioms  

1. A well-managed organization, as in The camp director runs a tight ship. This metaphoric term alludes to a ship in which the ropes are taut and by extension the ship is strictly managed. [Second half of 1900s]

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tight ship

“We’re running a tight ship here,” McDermott said, adding that ServiceNow has kept its head count flat and saved $1 billion in costs by using its autonomous workflow tools internally.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

Spurs' wage bill must also be factored into the equation, with Levy running a tight ship.

From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2026

SocGen didn't give any update on the potential sale of non-core assets after Krupa said last month he intended to run a "tight ship" in terms of the bank's portfolio.

From Reuters ● Sep. 18, 2023

Back inside, despite running a tight ship, Lulo’s demeanor is calm and collected.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2023

This may work, if the images don't clash: Frieda viewed her marriage as a tight ship, but Lorenzo was plotting a mutiny.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner