- 1held or attached in position firmly; difficult to move or undo He kept a tight grip on her arm. She twisted her hair into a tight knot. The screw was so tight that it wouldn't move. clothes
- 2fitting closely to your body and sometimes uncomfortable She was wearing a tight pair of jeans. These shoes are much too tight. The new sweater was a tight fit. opposite loose see skintight
- 3very strict and firm to keep tight control over something We need tighter security at the airport. stretched
- 4stretched or pulled so that it cannot stretch much further The rope was stretched tight. close together
- 5[usually before noun] with things or people packed closely together, leaving little space between them There was a tight group of people around the speaker. With six of us in the car it was a tight squeeze. money/time
- 6difficult to manage with because there is not enough We have a very tight budget. The president has a tight schedule today. The deadline for finishing the project is too tight (= too soon). expression/voice
- 7looking or sounding anxious, upset, angry, etc. “I'm sorry,” she said, with a tight smile. see uptight
- 8feeling painful or uncomfortable because of illness or emotion synonym constricted He complained of having a tight chest. Her throat felt tight, just looking at her baby. relationship
- 9having a close relationship with someone else or with other people It was a tight community and newcomers were not welcome. see tight-knit bend/curve
- 10curving suddenly rather than gradually The driver slowed down at a tight bend in the road. The plane flew around in a tight circle. contest/race
- 11with runners, teams, etc. that seem to be equally good synonym close1 a tight race not generous
- 12(informal) (disapproving) not wanting to spend much money; not generous synonym stingy He's very tight with his money.
- 13[not usually before noun] (old-fashioned) (informal) drunk synonym tipsy -tight
- 14(in compounds) not allowing the substance mentioned to enter measures to make your home weathertight see airtight, watertight
firm
noun [uncountable]Idioms
to organize something in a very efficient way, controlling other people very closely
a very difficult or dangerous situation She'll always help if you're in a tight spot.
to control someone or something carefully or strictly It's essential to keep a tight rein on public spending.See tight in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Check pronunciation: tight