Tight Definition & Meaning

American

British

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Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms tight American [tahyt] / taɪt /

adjective

tighter, tightest

1. firmly or closely fixed in place; not easily moved; secure.

   a tight knot.

2. drawn or stretched so as to be tense; taut.

3. affording little or no extra room; fitting closely, especially too closely.

   a tight collar.

4. difficult to deal with or manage.

   to be in a tight situation.

5. of such close or compacted texture, or fitted together so closely, as to be impervious to water, air, steam, etc..

   a good, tight roof.

6. concise; terse.

   a tight style of writing.

7. firm; rigid.

   his tight control of the company.

8. carefully arranged or organized and full; affording little leeway; packed.

   a tight schedule.

9. nearly even; close.

   a tight race.

10. Informal.

    1. close, as friends; familiar or intimate.

    2. united.

       The strikers are tight in their refusal to accept the proposed contract.

11. parsimonious; stingy.

    Synonyms: sparing, saving, frugal, mean, close

12. Slang. amazing; cool.

    Your new place is tight!

13. Older Slang. drunk; tipsy.

14. characterized by scarcity or eager demand; limited; restricted.

    a tight job market;

    tight money.

15. Journalism. (of a newspaper) having more news available than is required for or utilizable in a particular issue.

16. Baseball. inside.

17. Scot. and North England. competent or skillful.

18. tidy; orderly.

19. neatly or well built or made.

adverb

tighter, tightest

1. in a tight manner; closely; securely; tautly; firmly.

   Shut the door tight.

   The shirt fit tight across the shoulders.

2. soundly or deeply.

   to sleep tight.

idioms

1. sit tight, to take no action.

tight British / taɪt /

adjective

1. stretched or drawn so as not to be loose; taut

   a tight cord

2. fitting or covering in a close manner

   a tight dress

3. held, made, fixed, or closed firmly and securely

   a tight knot

4. 1. of close and compact construction or organization, esp so as to be impervious to water, air, etc

   2. ( in combination )

      watertight

      airtight

5. unyielding or stringent

   to keep a tight hold on resources

6. cramped or constricted

   a tight fit

7. mean or miserly

8. difficult and problematic

   a tight situation

9. hardly profitable

   a tight bargain

10. economics

    1. (of a commodity) difficult to obtain; in excess demand

    2. (of funds, money, etc) difficult and expensive to borrow because of high demand or restrictive monetary policy

    3. (of markets) characterized by excess demand or scarcity with prices tending to rise Compare easy

11. (of a match or game) very close or even

12. (of a team or group, esp of a pop group) playing well together, in a disciplined coordinated way

13. informal drunk

14. informal (of a person) showing tension

15. archaic neat

"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

adverb

1. in a close, firm, or secure way

   pull it tight

2. 1. to wait patiently; bide one's time

   2. to maintain one's position, stand, or opinion firmly

3. to sleep soundly

"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 tight More Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing tight

• in a bind (tight corner)
• sit tight

Other Word Forms

• overtight adjective
• overtightly adverb
• overtightness noun
• tightly adverb
• tightness noun

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”)

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.

One thing that makes Saka so threatening is that he can control the ball in tight spaces even when closely marked and he showed that when challenged by the Wigan midfield during the game.

From BBC

With Hamburg leading 2-1 and Union pushing for an equaliser, Koenigsdoerffer controlled a long ball on the counter and slid the ball home from a tight angle to seal victory with his first Bundesliga brace.

From Barron's

The blip points to continuing uncertainty within Europe’s industrial engine as Germany seeks to adapt its export-led economy to tighter competition and a more volatile global trading environment.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We doubt fiscal policy will provide sustained support as authorities remain committed to tight fiscal targets," Tandon said in a note.

From Barron's

It can be tricky to make a rented place feel like home on a tight budget - but some talented tenants have achieved maximum style at minimal cost.

From BBC

Related Words

• compact
• cramped
• fast
• inflexible
• narrow
• rigid
• solid
• stable
• steady
• stiff
• strained
• strong
• sturdy
• taut
• tense
• thick
• tightened

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.