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
Synonyms
Examples of taut in a Sentence
Adjective
The rope was drawn taut.
The book is a taut thriller.
Recent Examples on the Web
Keith Staskiewicz, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
The camera zooms in on Sue’s taut, luminescent flesh, which bounces in the light, causing the men around her to stare agog like cartoon characters.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2024
What this means in gory practice is that, after just one injection, Moore’s spine splits open—a goopy, grisly sequence that is wildly fun, if nauseating, to behold—and a shiny, taut new body (Margaret Qualley, looking resplendent) slithers out.
—The New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2024
The direction is taut as ever in an Eastwood film, and the performances are good.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for taut 
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Adjective
Unbearably taut, the 40-second sequence of people shrieking in suffering as they're pulled into Jean Jacket's maw proves that gore-free horror is equally, if not more, scarring.
—Keith Staskiewicz, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
The camera zooms in on Sue’s taut, luminescent flesh, which bounces in the light, causing the men around her to stare agog like cartoon characters.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 24 Oct. 2024
What this means in gory practice is that, after just one injection, Moore’s spine splits open—a goopy, grisly sequence that is wildly fun, if nauseating, to behold—and a shiny, taut new body (Margaret Qualley, looking resplendent) slithers out.
—The New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2024
The direction is taut as ever in an Eastwood film, and the performances are good.
—Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for taut
Articles Related to taut
Dictionary Entries Near taut
Cite this Entry
“Taut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taut. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
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