tighten the screws
idiom
informal
: to put more pressure on someone or something to do something
We need to tighten the screws on people who've been evading the tax.
Examples of tighten the screws in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But rates are already at a sky-high 21%, meaning additional increases would tighten the screws even more on Russia’s economy.
—
Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 Nov. 2024
And the return of Trump to the White House could tip the scales even further toward Singapore, as the incoming president threatens to tighten the screws on China.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 27 Nov. 2024
All this means the West should not be afraid to tighten the screws.
—Edward Fishman, Foreign Affairs, 23 Feb. 2023
Pam Goodman's dad taught her not to tighten the screws in her furniture until everything was aligned.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for tighten the screws 
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.
Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 Nov. 2024
And the return of Trump to the White House could tip the scales even further toward Singapore, as the incoming president threatens to tighten the screws on China.
—Nicholas Gordon, Fortune Asia, 27 Nov. 2024
All this means the West should not be afraid to tighten the screws.
—Edward Fishman, Foreign Affairs, 23 Feb. 2023
Pam Goodman's dad taught her not to tighten the screws in her furniture until everything was aligned.
—Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 14 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for tighten the screws
Dictionary Entries Near tighten the screws
Cite this Entry
“Tighten the screws.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tighten%20the%20screws. Accessed 18 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share