tight
tight Lexical Profile
tight Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Fixed, fastened, or closed firmly so as to be hard to move, undo, or open.
"Make sure the lid on the glass jar is tight so the soup does not spill during transit."
Fitting very closely or too closely to the body, leaving little or no extra room.
"These leather shoes are a bit too tight around the toes after walking all afternoon."
Stretched or drawn out fully so as to leave no slack; not loose.
"The sailors pulled the canvas ropes tight before the coastal winds picked up."
Strict, rigorous, or allowing very little margin for error, time, or resources.
"The engineering team is working under a tight deadline to complete the bridge inspection by Friday."
Very close, intimate, or harmoniously united in a relationship or performance; or, informally, unwilling to spend or give money.
"The members of the jazz quartet formed a tight unit after touring together for a decade."
• adverb
Closely, firmly, or securely.
"She held tight to the wooden handrail as the ferry crossed the choppy bay."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a flat adverb, 'tight' is typically used after certain verbs of holding, closing, or sleeping (e.g., 'hold tight', 'shut tight', 'sleep tight'), whereas 'tightly' is preferred in most other adverbial contexts and before past participles (e.g., 'tightly woven').
• Rhymes for tight
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'thight', meaning dense, solid, or waterproof, derived from Old Norse 'þéttr' (close in texture, watertight), which is cognate with Old English 'geþiht' and German 'dicht'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.