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

The towers were a specific architectural reference that didn’t look specific at all, a forceful abstract pattern with the subtlest of concessions to perspective, a taut graphic device that hit the eye like a logo — a logo for nothing but itself. —Will Heinrich, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2024

Through the use of sound (the storm lashes on throughout the night) and shadowy cinematography, a great sense of unease cloaks this taut bone-chiller, a chamber piece played to perfection by its two leads. —Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024

Like an old friend with exceptional plastic surgery, the British marque’s latest model appears more taut but the underlying bone structure is still there. —Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 9 Mar. 2024

Omar held up his hand and kept the rope taut with the other. —Jared Lemus, The Atlantic, 9 Mar. 2024

The agents were yanking her out of the cell and away from her kids, but her eyes remained fixed on the taut, trembling fingers of her boys, who clutched her clothes until their grips broke. —Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2024

There was no counter for the onslaught Utah unleashed on the way to a 90-44 victory at the Huntsman Center after the Utes turned a relatively taut game into a runaway over the final 15 minutes. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2024

Run is a taut thriller that feels like an elevated Lifetime movie in all the right ways. —Andrew Walsh, EW.com, 25 Nov. 2023

As for the eggplant, choose vegetables with shiny, taut skin and firm stems. —Emily Horton, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 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