uptight

[ uhp-tahyt ]

/ ˈʌpˈtaɪt /

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See synonyms for uptight on Thesaurus.com

adjective Slang.

tense, nervous, or jittery.

annoyed or angry.

stiffly conventional in manner or attitudes.

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Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of uptight

1960–65, Americanism;up (perhaps as intensifier) + tight

OTHER WORDS FROM uptight

up·tight·ness, noun

Words nearby uptight

up the river, up the wall, upthrow, upthrust, uptick, uptight, uptilt, uptime, uptitling, up to, up to a point

How to use uptight in a sentence

An Ethiopian woman stands in front of a young boy, her left arm extended in perfectly perpendicular contrast to her uptight frame.
In the galleries: Photos capture a fleeting moment, leave an indelible impression|Mark Jenkins|September 10, 2021|Washington Post
She had no time for the idea that kids came second to public duty, or for the uptight Windsor repression of personal feelings in public.
With Lilibet and Archie, Harry and Meghan Aim to Break the Cycle of Painful Royal Parenting|Clive Irving|June 6, 2021|The Daily Beast
He’s fearless, bold, unafraid to shock people by saying what others think, while Guy is straitlaced, uptight, and seething beneath his polite exterior.
Why it’s so satisfying to root for Disney villains|Aja Romano|May 28, 2021|Vox
Because there wasn’t too much political interference and people uptight about all kinds of stuff.
There Are Mounting Calls for a Boycott of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Will It Be Effective?|Charlie Campbell / Shanghai|March 9, 2021|Time

I’m an uptight Brit, I don’t tell people stuff about my life.
The BBC’s Katty Kay Shuts Down Men Who ‘Tell Me to Shut Up’|Eugene Robinson|January 23, 2021|Ozy
“It paints the women as shrews, as humorless and uptight, and it paints the men as lovable, goofy, fun-loving guys,” she said.
It’s Time to Stop Hating Katherine Heigl|Kevin Fallon|November 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Read another way, she is a horrible mother, an uptight snob, and a bit of a shrew.
Colm Toibin Describes The Creation Of His Quiet Masterpiece ‘Nora Webster’|Jennie Yabroff|November 3, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One of the characters I played was an uptight whackjob, so that was probably written for me.
'SNL' Star Kate McKinnon's Big, 'Awesome,' Emmy-Nominated Year|Kevin Fallon|August 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
All of this makes even the most well-meaning junior soldier more confused and more uptight.
Why These Marines Love ‘Frozen’—and Why It Matters|Aaron B. O’Connell|June 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The producers were looking to start a fight between the laid-back Sebastian and Camille, his uptight counterpart.
The Surreal Genius of Bravo’s Rich Kids Docudrama ‘NYC Prep’|Amy Zimmerman|April 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She is slender, immaculately dressed, and—as Dr. Feldman could see immediately—rigid and very uptight about herself.
When You Don't Know Where to Turn|Steven J. Bartlett

British Dictionary definitions for uptight

uptight

/ (ʌpˈtaɪt) /

adjective informal

displaying tense repressed nervousness, irritability, or anger

unable to give expression to one's feelings, personality, etc

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

uptight

Origin of uptight

OTHER WORDS FROM uptight

Words nearby uptight

Words related to uptight

How to use uptight in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for uptight