tight

Examples

• All

• There was a tight race for first place, ending in a tie with another just one acceptance behind.

  Academic text (1999)

• We're in the eighth inning, and so far it's been a very tight game.

  The Assassin's Code (2018)

• And this is going to be a very tight race until the very end.

• And it is so, so, so tight by one point.

• The race for team title's going to be really tight.

  Without Limits (1998)

• And although it's a tight race, it appears as if a spot on the podium is Maggie's to lose.

  The Bronze (2016)

• The championship game was incredibly intense, with both teams showing they were tight competitors.

• In the final seconds of the match, the score was tight, making every point crucial.

• As the votes were counted, it became clear that the election results were going to be tight until the end.

Synonyms

C

close

vstight

∞ 1.0

Near in space, time, or degree

applies specifically to contests where competitors are nearly equal in result

N

neck and neck

vstight

27 3.5

So close in a race or competition that it is hard to tell who will win

shows a small difference in ability rather than an exact tie

N

nip and tuck

vstight

• Informal

2 8.1

Very close and evenly matched until the end

emphasizes a small difference in ability rather than uncertainty until the end

Antonyms

O

one-sided

58 4.0

Not fair because it helps only one person, group, or view

U

uneven

12 2.7

Not equal in strength, with one side clearly stronger

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 Close

neck and neck

27 3.5

tight

54 2.1

lopsided

29 4.3

Surface Forms

Etymology