tighten up

phrasal verb

tightened up; tightening up; tightens up

: to become more strict or effective or to make (something) more strict or effective

Security around the building has tightened up recently.

They tightened up security around the building.

Examples of tighten up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The game tightened up from there, but the Americans never really got close. —

Sean McIndoe, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025 The government has agreed with its far-right backers in parliament to tighten up the vetting process for people applying for gun licenses and to clamp down on some semi-automatic weapons. —

Reuters, CNN, 7 Feb. 2025 In 2026, the TV Academy will tighten up rules regarding casting for reality programs and main title music. —

Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Jan. 2025 New York tightened up defensively on the other end of the ice, keeping the Golden Knights to only seven shots in the third. —

Peter Baugh, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for tighten up