Tight — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective adverb /ˈtīt/

Meaning & Definition of Tight

Tight (adjective)

  1. having elements close together
  2. so close in structure as to prevent passage or escape (as of liquid, gas, or light)
  3. fitting very close to the body; also, too snug

Tight (adverb)

  1. fast, tightly, firmly
  2. in a sound manner, soundly

Tight (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. not allowing penetration (as by gas, liquid, or light)

    "the lid forms a tight seal with the canister that will keep the spices fresh"

    similar: impenetrable, impermeable, impervious
    related: close, compact, dense, snug, thick, airtight, hermetic, leakproof, watertight, lightproof, soundproof, waterproof
    opposite: penetrable, permeable, pervious
    near: absorbent, leaky, porous, unsealed

  2. firmly positioned in place and difficult to dislodge

    "a tight screw that won't come loose"

    "a jar with a tight lid"

    similar: fast, firm, frozen, jammed, lodged, set, snug, stuck, wedged
    related: bonded, cemented, glued, anchored, clamped, embedded, entrenched, impacted, implanted, attached, bound, fastened, secured, immovable, unyielding
    opposite: insecure, loose
    near: detached, dislodged, freed, loosened, unattached, unbound, undone, unfastened, unsecured, movable, yielding

  3. giving or sharing as little as possible

    "is fairly tight with his money"

    similar: cheap, chintzy, close, closefisted, mean, mingy, miserly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, penurious, pinching, pinchpenny, spare, sparing, stingy, stinting, tightfisted, uncharitable, ungenerous
    related: careful, chary, conserving, economical, economizing, frugal, saving, scrimping, skimping, thrifty, acquisitive, avaricious, avid, coveting, covetous, desirous, grasping, greedy, hoggish, itchy, mercenary, rapacious, selfish, shabby, small, sordid, begrudging, envious, grudging, resentful, inhospitable
    opposite: bounteous, bountiful, charitable, freehanded, generous, liberal, munificent, openhanded, unsparing, unstinting
    near: altruistic, selfless, unselfish, extravagant, free, handsome, lavish, overgenerous, profuse, beneficent, benevolent, hospitable, humanitarian, philanthropic, compassionate, good-hearted, greathearted, kindly, magnanimous, openhearted, thriftless, unthrifty, dissipating, frittering, prodigal, profligate, spendthrift, splurging, squandering, wasteful, wasting

  4. having little space between items or parts

    "the traffic on the freeway was so tight we couldn't get over to the exit we wanted"

    similar: close, compact, crowded, dense, jam-packed, packed, serried, thick
    related: crammed, jammed, overcrowded, crushed, massed, pressed, squeezed, wall-to-wall, airtight, snug, compacted, compressed, condensed, congested, firm, hard, solid, impenetrable, impermeable, impervious
    opposite: airy, loose, open, uncrowded
    near: commodious, roomy, spacious

  5. showing little difference in the standing of the competitors

    "a tight race for governor"

    similar: close, down-to-the-wire, hairbreadth, narrow, neck and neck, nip and tuck
    related: crowded

  6. stretched with little or no give

    "the rope was pulled tight"

    similar: rigid, taut, tense
    related: firm, inflexible, stiff, tightened, unrelaxed, unyielding
    opposite: lax, loose, slack
    near: drooping, droopy, flaccid, floppy, hanging, lank, limp, loosened, relaxed, sagging, slackened, yielding, elastic, flexible, pliant, resilient, springy, stretchy, supple

  7. closely acquainted

    "supposedly he and the rock star have been totally tight since they went to high school together"

    similar: bosom, buddy-buddy, chummy, close, especial, familiar, friendly, inseparable, intimate, inward, near, thick
    related: clannish, close-knit, tight-knit, affable, boon, companionable, convivial, cordial, genial, gracious, hearty, gregarious, sociable, social, comfortable, cozy, easy, snug, amicable, neighborly, confidential, secretive, adoring, affectionate, dear, devoted, fond, loving, tender, tenderhearted, warm
    opposite: distant
    near: aloof, antisocial, cold, cool, detached, distant, frosty, remote, reserved, standoffish, unfriendly, unsociable, withdrawn

  8. being under the influence of alcohol

    "a few of the bar's patrons spent several hours getting tight without the bartender cutting them off"

    similar: besotted, blasted (slang), blind, blitzed (slang), blotto (slang), bombed, boozy, canned (slang), cockeyed, crocked, drunk, drunken, fried, gassed, hammered (slang), high, impaired, inebriate, inebriated, intoxicated, juiced (slang), lit, lit up, loaded (slang), looped, oiled (slang), pickled, pie-eyed, plastered, potted (slang), ripped (slang), sloshed (slang), smashed (slang), sottish, soused, sozzled, squiffed, stewed, stiff, stinking (slang), stoned, tanked (slang), tiddly (chiefly British), tipsy, wasted (slang), wet, wiped out (slang), in one's cups, in the bag (slang), three sheets in the wind, under the influence, under the weather
    related: maudlin, beery, befuddled, bleary-eyed, crapulous, dopey, rocky, strung out, stupefied, debauched, dissipated, dissolute, alcoholic, bibulous, dipsomaniacal
    opposite: sober, straight
    near: abstemious, abstinent, dry, temperate, teetotal, clearheaded, cool, level, steady

Related Entry: Tight-lipped (adjective)

Tight-lipped is a different word from Tight. The synonyms below are for tight-lipped, not for tight.

  1. tending not to speak frequently (as by habit or inclination)

    "the cabinet official is usually tight-lipped about her private life"

    similar: closemouthed, dumb, laconic, reserved, reticent, silent, taciturn, uncommunicative
    related: aloof, indrawn, inhibited, introverted, restrained, sedate, self-contained, sober, staid, backward, bashful, coy, demure, diffident, modest, retiring, self-effacing, sheepish
    opposite: blabby, chatty, communicative, conversational, gabby, garrulous, loquacious, motormouthed, mouthy, talkative, talky, unreserved
    near: free-spoken, outspoken, vocal, gossipy, talebearing, diffuse, long-winded, prolix, rambling, verbose, windy, wordy, extroverted, gregarious, outgoing, sociable

Related Entry: Tight-mouthed (adjective)

Tight-mouthed is a different word from Tight. The synonyms below are for tight-mouthed, not for tight.

  1. given to keeping one's activities hidden from public observation or knowledge

    "the studio has been tight-mouthed about how the show's cliff-hanger season finale will be resolved"

    similar: close, closemouthed, dark, reticent, secretive, uncommunicative
    related: quiet, reserved, silent, taciturn, tight-lipped, discreet, prudent, clandestine, covert, furtive, hugger-mugger, secret, sneak, sneaky, stealthy, surreptitious, undercover, underhand, underhanded
    opposite: communicative, open
    near: candid, frank, honest, out-front, up-front, blunt, outspoken, tactless

Related Entry: Tight-knit (adjective)

Tight-knit is a different word from Tight. The synonyms below are for tight-knit, not for tight.

  1. used to describe a group of people who care about each other and who are very friendly with each other

    "We are a tight-knit community."

    similar: clannish, close-knit, bosom, buddy-buddy, chummy, close, especial, familiar, friendly, inseparable, intimate, inward, near, thick, tight, affable, boon, companionable, convivial, cordial, genial, gracious, hearty, gregarious, sociable, social, comfortable, cozy, easy, snug, amicable, neighborly, confidential, secretive, adoring, affectionate, dear, devoted, fond, loving, tender, tenderhearted, warm
    opposite: aloof, antisocial, cold, cool, detached, distant, frosty, remote, reserved, standoffish, unfriendly, unsociable, withdrawn

Related Entry: Sit tight (phrase)

Sit tight is a different word from Tight. The synonyms below are for sit tight, not for tight.

  1. to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something

    "Sit tight and I'll be back in a minute."

    similar: await, bide, hold on, stay, wait, bide one's time, cool one's heels, hold one's breath
    related: hang around, linger, remain, stick around, tarry, stand by, anticipate, expect, watch (for)

  2. to remain out of sight

    "He told his partner to sit tight while he went to get backup."

    similar: hide, hole up, lie, lurk, repose, skulk, lie low
    related: slink, sneak, avoid, elude, evade
    opposite: appear
    near: come out, materialize, show up, turn up

Related Entry: Sat tight (phrase)

Sat tight is a different word from Tight. The synonyms below are for sat tight, not for tight.

  1. to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something

    "Sit tight and I'll be back in a minute."

    similar: awaited, bode, held on, stayed, waited, bided one's time, cooled one's heels, held one's breath
    related: hung around, lingered, remained, stuck around, tarried, stood by, anticipated, expected, watched (for)

  2. to remain out of sight

    "He told his partner to sit tight while he went to get backup."

    similar: hid, holed up, lay, lurked, reposed, skulked, lay low
    related: slunk, sneaked, avoided, eluded, evaded
    opposite: appeared
    near: came out, materialized, showed up, turned up

Related Entry: Sits tight (phrase)

Sits tight is a different word from Tight. The synonyms below are for sits tight, not for tight.

  1. to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something

    "Sit tight and I'll be back in a minute."

    similar: awaits, bides, holds on, stays, waits, bides one's time, cools one's heels, holds one's breath
    related: hangs around, lingers, remains, sticks around, tarries, stands by, anticipates, expects, watches (for)

  2. to remain out of sight

    "He told his partner to sit tight while he went to get backup."

    similar: hides, holes up, lies, lurks, reposes, skulks, lies low
    related: slinks, sneaks, avoids, eludes, evades
    opposite: appears
    near: comes out, materializes, shows up, turns up

Related Entry: Sitting tight (phrase)

Sitting tight is a different word from Tight. The synonyms below are for sitting tight, not for tight.

  1. to remain in place in readiness or expectation of something

    "Sit tight and I'll be back in a minute."

    similar: awaiting, biding, holding on, staying, waiting, biding one's time, cooling one's heels, holding one's breath
    related: hanging around, lingering, remaining, sticking around, tarrying, standing by, anticipating, expecting, watching (for)

  2. to remain out of sight

    "He told his partner to sit tight while he went to get backup."

    similar: hiding, holing up, lurking, lying, reposing, skulking, lying low
    related: slinking, sneaking, avoiding, eluding, evading
    opposite: appearing
    near: coming out, materializing, showing up, turning up

Related Entry: Run (verb)

Run is a different word from Tight. The synonyms below are for run, not for tight.

  1. to go at a pace faster than a walk

    "we ran all the way to the bus stop, but still missed the bus"

    similar: dash, gallop, jog, scamper, sprint, trip, trot
    related: bound, canter, leap, lope, shag, skip, spring, barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb (slang), bowl, breeze, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, course, foot (it), hare, hasten, hie, hoof (it), hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, leg (it), pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, rush, rustle, shoot, speed, tear, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom, nip, patter, scoot, scurry, scuttle, step (along)
    near: amble, saunter, shamble, shuffle, stroll, crawl, creep, dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry, lumber, plod, trudge, hobble, limp

  2. to hasten away from something dangerous or frightening

    "rather than run from a black bear, it's better to hold your ground and make lots of noise"

    similar: bolt, break, bug out, flee, fly, hightail (it), retreat, run away, run off, skedaddle, beat a retreat, beat it, make tracks, turn tail
    related: abscond, clear out, decamp, elope, escape, get (away), get out, lam, light out, make off, mizzle (chiefly British), scarper (British), scat, scram, skip (out), skirr
    near: beard, brave, confront, dare, defy, face, abide, dwell, hang around, linger, remain, stay, stick around, tarry

  3. to be positioned along a certain course or in a certain direction

    "the road runs along the river for a while"

    similar: bear, extend, go, head, lead, lie
    related: cross, cut, pass, course, follow, span, traverse

  4. to occur within a continuous range of variation

    "the electric bill runs between 30 and 50 dollars a month"

    similar: go, range, vary
    related: alternate, fluctuate, move, shift, change, mutate, extend, reach, stretch, sweep

  5. to move in a stream

    "water running down the window"

    similar: flow, pour, roll, stream
    related: arise, disembogue, effuse, emanate, issue, spring, course, race, rush, fountain, gush, spout, spurt, deluge, engulf, flood, inundate, overflow, overrun, swamp, cascade, dribble, drip, gutter, riffle, ripple, sheet, trickle, flush, wash out
    opposite: back up
    near: clot, coagulate, congeal, gel, harden, set

  6. to proceed or move quickly

    "run and get the nurse"

    similar: barrel, belt, blast, blaze, blow, bolt, bomb (slang), bowl, breeze, bundle, bustle, buzz, cannonball, careen, career, chase, course, crack (on), dash, drive, fly, hare, hasten, hie, highball, hotfoot (it), hump, hurl, hurry, hurtle, hustle, jet, jump, motor, nip, pelt, race, ram, rip, rocket, rush, rustle, scoot, scurry, scuttle, shoot, speed, step, tear, travel, trot, whirl, whisk, zip, zoom, beat it, get a move on, make tracks, shake a leg, step on it
    related: beetle, dart, flit, scamper, scud, scuffle, stampede, streak, whiz, gallop, jog, sprint, accelerate, quicken, step out, catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake, arrow, beeline
    opposite: crawl, creep, poke
    near: dally, dawdle, dillydally, drag, hang (around or out), lag, linger, loiter, poke, tarry, amble, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up)

  7. to show a liking or proneness (for something)

    "unfortunately, members of his family run to fatness"

    similar: incline, lean, tend, trend
    related: go, gravitate, indicate, point, suggest
    near: avoid, shun, shy (from or away from)

  8. to urge, push, or force onward

    "they ran the horses hard in order to get to the ranch quickly"

    similar: drive, herd, punch
    related: shepherd, wrangle, egg, exhort, flog, goad, hound, press, prick, prod, prompt, scourge, spur, whip

  9. to control the mechanical operation of

    "I know how to run that machine"

    similar: handle, operate, work
    related: use, maneuver, manipulate, ply, wield, command, control, direct, drive, guide, pilot, steer

  10. to eventually have as a state or quality

    "the poor woman ran herself ragged trying to care for all those children"

    similar: become, come, get, go, grow, turn, wax
    related: alter, change, metamorphose, modify, mutate, transfigure, transform, transmute
    near: abide, be, continue, linger, remain, stay

  11. to go from a solid to a liquid state

    "her makeup started to run when she got in the pool"

    similar: deliquesce, flux, fuse, liquefy, melt, thaw
    related: found, gutter, smelt, try, dissolve, render, soften, thin
    opposite: harden, set, solidify
    near: clot, coagulate, congeal, gel, jell, jelly, thicken

  12. to look after and make decisions about

    "learning to run the family business"

    similar: administer, administrate, carry on, conduct, control, direct, govern, guide, handle, keep, manage, operate, overlook, oversee, preside (over), regulate, steward, superintend, supervise, tend, watch over
    related: care (for), mind, watch, lead, pilot, steer, guard, protect, safeguard, micromanage, stage-manage, codirect, comanage

  13. to cause to function

    "in olden days mills were run by flowing water"

    similar: activate, actuate, crank (up), drive, move, set off, spark, start, touch off, trigger, turn on
    related: kick over, turn over, charge, electrify, energize, fire, fuel, generate, power, push, discharge, launch, release, switch, trip, reactivate, recharge, arouse, excite, jump-start, kick-start, stimulate, vitalize, ignite, incite, instigate, provoke, quicken, stir up, accelerate, catalyze, speed (up), step up
    opposite: cut, cut out, deactivate, kill, shut off, turn off
    near: arrest, brake, check, cut off, draw up, halt, jam, stall, stick, stop, decelerate, repress, slow, stunt, suppress

  14. to have a price of

    "that sort of computer runs at least several hundred dollars"

    similar: bring, cost, fetch, go (for), sell (for)
    related: list (for), amount (to), come (to), total, command, exact, ask, demand

  15. to come or be together as friends

    "he's been running with a bad crowd lately"

    similar: associate, chum, company, consociate, consort, fraternize, hang (around or out), hobnob, hook up, mess around, pal (around), sort, travel, be friends with, fall in with, keep company (with), rub elbows (with), take up with
    related: affiliate, ally, attach, band, bond, club, collaborate, collude, confederate, conjoin, connect, cooperate, couple, gang, get along, get on, group, interrelate, join, knot, league, link, mingle, mix, rally, relate, side, socialize, team, tie, wed, befriend, friend
    near: avoid, cold-shoulder, shun, snub, alienate, estrange, break up, disband, disperse, split (up), disjoin, dissociate, disunite, divorce, sever, split, sunder

  16. to go after or on the track of

    "if that dog continues to run cars, he's going to get seriously hurt"

    similar: bird-dog, chase, course, dog, follow, hound, pursue, shadow, tag, tail, trace, track, trail, run after
    related: accompany, chaperone, escort, hunt, search (for), seek, eye, observe, watch
    opposite: guide, lead, pilot
    near: head

Related Entry: Run (over) (verb)

Run (over) is a different word from Tight. The synonyms below are for run (over), not for tight.

  1. to make a brief visit

    "I could run over right now if that's good for you"

    similar: call, come by, come over, drop by, drop in, pop (in), run in, step in, stop (by or in), visit
    related: barge (in), look up, see, bop (into), happen (by), frequent, hang (at), haunt, resort (to)

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Tight

The most common words with a similar meaning to Tight:

Slang: blasted, blitzed, blotto, canned, hammered, juiced, loaded, oiled, potted, ripped, sloshed, smashed
Chiefly British: tiddly
impenetrable, impermeable, impervious, fast, firm, frozen, jammed, lodged, set, snug, stuck, wedged, cheap, chintzy, close, closefisted, mean, mingy, miserly, parsimonious, penny-pinching, penurious, pinching, pinchpenny, spare, sparing, stingy, stinting, tightfisted, uncharitable, ungenerous, compact, crowded, dense, jam-packed, packed, serried, thick, down-to-the-wire, hairbreadth

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Tight

Words with the opposite meaning of Tight:

penetrable, permeable, pervious, insecure, loose, bounteous, bountiful, charitable, freehanded, generous, liberal, munificent, openhanded, unsparing, unstinting, airy, open, uncrowded, lax, slack, distant, sober, straight

Related Words for Tight

airtight, hermetic, leakproof, watertight, lightproof, soundproof, waterproof, bonded, cemented, glued, anchored, clamped, embedded, entrenched, impacted, implanted, attached, bound, fastened, secured, immovable, unyielding, careful, chary, conserving, economical, economizing, frugal, saving, scrimping

Near Antonyms of Tight

absorbent, leaky, porous, unsealed, detached, dislodged, freed, loosened, unattached, unbound, undone, unfastened, unsecured, movable, yielding, altruistic, selfless, unselfish, extravagant, free, handsome, lavish, overgenerous, profuse, beneficent, benevolent, hospitable, humanitarian, philanthropic, compassionate

Word Forms of Tight

Derived words: tightly (adverb), tightness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Tight

Middle English tiht, thyht dense, solid, watertight, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse thēttr tight; akin to Middle High German dīhte thick, Sanskrit tanakti it causes to coagulate

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Tight

Words & Phrases Containing Tight

tight-ass, tight end, tight-knit, tight-lipped, tight-mouthed, tight schedule, tight squeeze, hug-me-tight

Frequently Asked Questions about Tight

What does "Tight" mean?

"Tight" means having elements close together. As an an adjective and an adverb, it is defined as: having elements close together. It has 8 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Tight"?

Other words for "Tight" include impenetrable, impermeable, impervious, fast, firm, frozen, jammed and lodged. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Tight" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Tight"?

There are 222 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Tight". Common alternatives include impenetrable, impermeable, impervious, fast, firm, frozen, jammed, lodged, set and snug.

What is a slang word for "Tight"?

Slang words for "Tight" include blasted, blitzed, blotto, canned, hammered and juiced.

What is the opposite of "Tight"?

Antonyms of "Tight" include penetrable, permeable, pervious, insecure, loose, bounteous, bountiful and charitable. Near antonyms include absorbent, leaky, porous and unsealed.

How do you use "Tight" in a sentence?

Examples of "Tight" in a sentence: "the lid forms a tight seal with the canister that will keep the spices fresh"; "a tight screw that won't come loose"; "a jar with a tight lid".

Is "Tight" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Tight" can be used as an adjective and an adverb, depending on the context.

Is "Tight" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Tight" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.