tight

Examples

• All

• Well, she was in a tight spot last night.

  Love Lies Bleeding (2024)

• All of us are crying now, our stomachs tight, painful cramps against our fear.

  Fiction book (1992)

• And that puts us in a very tight spot.

• So we have a very, very, let's say, tight time frame.

• When things get tight, people retreat, right?

• Now Pat Parker's stomach formed a tight knot as a wave of panic passed through her.

  Fiction book (1990)

• Peasants are subsistence farmers, and many live in tight-knit communities that encapsulate their social life.

  Academic text (2005)

• We found ourselves in a tight situation when the car broke down in the middle of nowhere.

• After the unexpected expense, our budget became quite tight, leaving little room for shopping.

• The negotiations reached a tight impasse, making it hard for both parties to agree.

Synonyms

N

nasty

vstight

77 5.1

Very difficult to deal with or solve

describes difficulty without the strong emotional annoyance

I

in a jam

vstight

• Informal

23 6.7

In trouble and needing help to fix a problem

applies to hard situations more broadly not only those needing problem solving

I

in a tight spot

vstight

• Informal

9 4.2

In a difficult situation that is hard to get out of

covers any hard to handle situation rather than only ones you cannot escape

I

in a tight squeeze

vstight

• Informal

1 7.2

In a difficult situation with little time or money

focuses generally on difficulty rather than stress or slowed progress

Antonyms

E

easy

∞ 1.0

Not hard to do, understand, or achieve

M

manageable

55 3.2

Easy to deal with

Idioms

S

sleep tight

• Informal

25 3.4

To wish someone a good night's sleep

R

to run a tight ship

• Informal

11 5.4

Manage a group or organization strictly to keep it working well

I

in a tight spot

• Informal

9 4.2

In a difficult situation that is hard to get out of

I

in a tight squeeze

• Informal

1 7.2

In a difficult situation with little time or money

K

to keep a tight ship

1 6.5

Run a team or group strictly and efficiently

T

tight as Dick's hatband

• Archaic

9.9

Very short of money or very nervous about a situation

Compounds

T

tight end

• Jargon

48 6.3

In American football, a player on offense who lines up next to the tackle and blocks and catches passes

T

tight budget

12 2.9

A situation with only a little money to spend

T

tight-fitting

12 3.4

Stays close to the body or an object and is not loose

S

skin-tight

6 3.5

Clothes that fit very closely to the body

A

air-tight

5 3.0

Completely sealed so no air can get in or out

T

tight-knit community

4 3.5

A group of people who know and help each other

T

tight deadline

4 3.6

A short time to finish a task

T

tight money

• Literature

2 7.5

A time when banks lend less and interest rates are high

L

light-tight

1 6.8

Not letting light pass through

T

tight cap

1 3.1

A cap that fits tightly to stop liquids from spilling

T

tight-laced

1 8.1

Being very strict about how people behave and dress

H

hug-me-tight

• Archaic

1 9.9

A short tight jacket for women worn in the 1800s

How Difficult

impossible

∞ 1.4

tight

• Informal

104 6.0

awkward

373 3.3

manageable

55 3.2

Surface Forms

Etymology