tighten

Verb

• make tight or tighter
  • "Tighten the wire"
• become tight or tighter
  • "The rope tightened"
• restrict
  • "Tighten the rules"
• narrow or limit
• To make tighter.
• To become tighter.
• To make money harder to borrow or obtain.
• To raise short-term interest rates.

Examples

• "If the government doesn't tighten the money supply, inflation is certain to be harsh."
• "Please tighten that screw a quarter-turn."
• "That joint is tightening as the wood dries."
• "The Fed is expected to tighten by a quarter-point."

Synonyms

bind, brace, cinch, clench, constrain, constrict, fasten, reduce, squeeze, stiffen, taughten, tauten, tense, tighten, tighten up

Antonyms

divide, liberate, loosen

Related Words

tight