as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
he has a tendency to fret and get uptight whenever his usual routine is disrupted
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of uptight
Because for the most part, Caroline comes off as a rigid uptight shrew.
—
Lisa Depaulo, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
Corie is free-spirited, while Paul is an uptight lawyer.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2026
But things have gotten a little more uptight than alright with Moy’s family.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 13 Feb. 2026
Sabrina Impacciatore, the Italian actress who starred as an uptight and comedically direct hotel manager in the second season of The White Lotus, can really dance.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for uptight
Lisa Depaulo, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026
Corie is free-spirited, while Paul is an uptight lawyer.
—Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2026
But things have gotten a little more uptight than alright with Moy’s family.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 13 Feb. 2026
Sabrina Impacciatore, the Italian actress who starred as an uptight and comedically direct hotel manager in the second season of The White Lotus, can really dance.
—Sean Gregory, Time, 6 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for uptight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for uptight
Adjective
-
At Cal Poly Pomona, director of media relations Cynthia Peters directed students and staff who were worried about being unable to access their course materials as a result of the incident to a Reddit post uploaded by the school’s Bookstore faculty on Thursday.—
Kristy Hutchings,
Daily News,
7 May 2026
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But locals are worried that other companies could move in.—
NPR,
NPR,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
In the draft room, Bisciotti looked nervous as the pick approached, worried another team — or even his own GM — might snag Randall.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Some nervous Democrats and their allies worry that language could thwart installation of a Democratic majority in the next Congress.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Quenneville was the next huge piece of the puzzle, and the three-time Stanley Cup winner as a head coach has guided the Ducks to a first-round postseason upset.—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
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The Minnesota Timberwolves, or what is left of them, also advanced with an upset win against the Denver Nuggets.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Speech is converted to text, processed by a language model, and passed through a personality layer designed to mimic C-3PO’s formal, anxious tone.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
4 May 2026
-
The sixth Kathy is an anxious traveler.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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This return to record highs means 401(k)s, individual retirement accounts and stock portfolios that track benchmark US stock indexes recovered after an uneasy few weeks.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
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So as the series shifts back to Kia Center, the Magic find themselves in a position that is both familiar and uneasy.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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This may explain why Suzanna’s mother is a somewhat indistinct presence in the novel (at least compared with fierce Sylvie)—patient, even serene behind bars, more eager to talk about her daughter’s future than about her own future, let alone her troubled past.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
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More than 10 candidates are competing for insurance commissioner, a high-pressure role overseeing a troubled market.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Uptight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/uptight. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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