uptight

adjective

up·​tight ˈəp-ˈtīt 

(ˌ)əp-ˈtīt

1

a

: being tense, nervous, or uneasy

uptight overachievers

b

: angry, indignant

c

: rigidly conventional

an uptight conservative

2

: being in financial difficulties

uptightness

(ˌ)əp-ˈtīt-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• aflutter
• antsy
• anxious
• atwitter
• dithery
• edgy
• goosey
• het up
• hinky [slang]
• hung up
• ill at ease
• insecure
• jittery
• jumpy
• nervous
• nervy
• perturbed
• queasy
• queazy
• tense
• troubled
• uneasy
• unquiet
• upset
• worried

Examples of uptight in a Sentence

If our flight is delayed, there's nothing we can do. There's no reason to get so uptight about it.

I don't know why people are so uptight about sex.

Recent Examples on the Web

This is no longer the uptight atmosphere where John Adams was angrily booed and where people noisily walked out as Zubin Mehta premiered major new works by Olivier Messiaen and Iannis Xenakis. —Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025

The underachieving Tommy and his father's uptight assistant encounter a series of hilarious scenarios. —Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 7 May 2025

Fey’s character in The Four Seasons is a more grounded, sympathetic version of this uptight woman. —Judy Berman, Time, 1 May 2025

Besides Carell and Kenney-Silver, its cast includes Fey as uptight Kate, Will Forte as her anxious husband Jack, Colman Domingo as her cool best friend Danny and Marco Calvani as his fretful husband Claude. —Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 1 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for uptight

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight

Kids Definition

uptight

adjective

up·​tight ˈəp-ˈtīt 

(ˌ)əp-ˈtīt,

ˌəp-ˌtīt

: being tense, nervous, or uneasy