taut
taut Lexical Profile
taut Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Stretched or pulled tight; not slack.
"The sailors pulled the canvas sails taut to catch the rising wind."
Showing or feeling nervous tension and strain; not relaxed.
"Her face was taut with anxiety as she waited for the examination results."
Concise, controlled, and well-structured without wasted words or elements (especially of writing, speech, or performance).
"The director delivered a taut thriller that kept the audience engaged from the opening scene."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'taut' (adjective meaning pulled tight or tense) with its homophone 'taught' (the past tense of the verb 'teach').
• Rhymes for taut
Word Origin & Etymology
Originating from Middle English 'tought' (meaning firm or tight), likely derived from a past participle variant of 'towen' (to pull or draw, from Old English 'teon'), related to the root of 'tough'.