Did you know?

Click any word in a definition or example to find the entry for that word

tight

- definition

What are red words?

90% of the time, speakers of English use just 7,500 words in speech and writing. These words appear in red, and are graded with stars. One-star words are frequent, two-star words are more frequent, and three-star words are the most frequent.

Thesaurus

The thesaurus of synonyms and related words is fully integrated into the dictionary entries. Click on the T button in an entry to review the synonyms and related words for that meaning.

adjective

/taɪt/

adjective	tight
comparative	tighter
superlative	tightest

Other entries for this word

Related dictionary definitions

1
clothes that are tight are close against your body when you wear them
a tight skirt/dress
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
1. a.
  used about clothes that are uncomfortable because they are so close against your body
  The shoes were a little too tight.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
2
a tight hold or grip is very firm and strong
a tight grip on the handle of his putter
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
1. a.
  firmly fastened in a particular position
  The screw was so tight I couldn't turn it.
  She had twisted her hair into a tight knot.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
3
something such as cloth or rope that is tight is stretched so that it is completely straight or flat
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
4
controlled very carefully and strictly
Security has been very tight throughout the Prince's visit.
tight control of costs
It was politically desirable to have a tight economic policy.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
1. a.
  done with a lot of skill and care so that mistakes are not made
  a tight performance by the cast
  They kept things tight for the first half of the game.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
5
if money is tight, you have only just enough
a tight budget:
vacations for people on a tight budget
money is tight/things are tight:
Things will be a little tight for a few months.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
1. a.
  if time is tight, you have so little time that it is difficult for you to do what you need to
  If time is tight, cook the chicken the day before.
  a tight schedule/deadline/timetable:
  We're going to be working under a very tight schedule.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
2. b.
  if space is tight, you have only just enough
  You can just about park here, but it's pretty tight.
  a tight squeeze (=a situation in which there is only just enough space):
  It's a tight squeeze for all of you in our little house.
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
6
if a game is tight, both players or teams play well and it is difficult to know who will win
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
7
a tight angle is a very small angle that gives you very little space to do something
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
8
a tight bend on a road is difficult to drive around because it curves a lot
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
9
if your chest or another part of your body feels tight, it feels as if it is being squeezed
His throat was too tight to allow the words to escape.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
10
a tight group of people have a close relationship with each other
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
11
a tight voice or expression shows that you are nervous or annoyed
He gave her a tight smile.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
12
consisting of people or things that are very close together
a tight bundle of sticks
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
13
informal, showing disapproval someone who is tight likes to avoid spending money
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
14
informal old-fashioned drunk
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight

phrases

keep a tight grip/rein/hold on something
to control something in a very strict way
The company needs to keep a tight hold on costs this month.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
run a tight ship
to control something such as an organization or institution in a very strict and effective way
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight
a tight spot/corner/situation
a difficult situation
She can usually talk her way out of tight corners.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tight

derived words

tightly

adverb

Keep the windows tightly closed.

The skirt fits a little too tightly around the waist.

The campaign had been tightly controlled from start to finish.

tightness

noun [uncountable]

This is the American English definition of tight. View British English definition of tight.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to British English.

charticle

a news article that consists of a chart … and only has a small amount of text

BuzzWord Article

More BuzzWords

BuzzWord archive

Word of the Day

proton

the part of the nucleus of an atom that has a positive electrical charge

Word of the Day

Open Dictionary

never event

an event that should never occur in a healthcare setting …

add a word

More submissions

view entries

Blog

A must for anyone with an interest in the changing face of language. The Macmillan Dictionary blog explores English as it is spoken around the world today.

global English and language change from our blog