taut

1 of 3

adjective

ˈtȯt 

1

a

: having no give or slack : tightly drawn

a taut rope

b

: high-strung, tense

taut nerves

2

a

: kept in proper order or condition

a taut ship

b(1)

: not loose or flabby

taut skin

(2)

: marked by economy of structure and detail

a taut story

tautly adverb

tautness noun

taut

2 of 3

verb

tauted; tauting; tauts

transitive verb

Scotland

: mat, tangle

taut-

3 of 3

combining form

variants or tauto-

: same

tautomerism

tautonym

Synonyms

Adjective

• rigid
• tense
• tight

Examples of taut in a Sentence

Adjective

The rope was drawn taut.

The book is a taut thriller.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

In the lab, a piece of aerogel material a couple millimeters thick is held taut inside a metal frame. —Ari Daniel, NPR, 9 Dec. 2024

Sharp’s hushed but taut narration played out in real time, like an announcer calling a tennis game. —Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2024

This isn’t the Miami of South Beach denizens, transplants dripping in wealth, taut young bodies supine in the brilliant sunlight. —Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024

Neuromodulators, the injectable treatment that relaxes muscles in order to keep them taut and unmoveable, are extremely effective at smoothing out the look and feel of wrinkles. —Sarah Kinonen, Allure, 26 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English tought, perhaps from tought, toughth fierce, tough, alteration of tough tough

Verb

origin unknown

Combining form

Late Latin, from Greek, from tauto the same, contraction of to auto

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a(1)

Verb

1721, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

taut

adjective

ˈtȯt

1

a

: drawn to the limit : not slack

taut rope

b

: high-strung, tense

taut nerves

2

: kept in proper order or condition

a taut ship

tautly adverb

tautness noun