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Thesaurus / tightening
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tightening

See definition of tightening on Dictionary.com
  • as incontraction
  • as innarrowing
  • as instricture

synonyms for tightening

  • decrease
  • deflation
  • recession
  • reduction
  • shrinkage
  • abbreviation
  • abridgment
  • compression
  • condensation
  • condensing
  • confinement
  • constriction
  • curtailment
  • diminution
  • dwindling
  • elision
  • evaporation
  • lessening
  • narrowing
  • omission
  • receding
  • reducing
  • shrinking
  • withdrawal
  • abbreviating
  • confining
  • curtailing
  • cutting down
  • decreasing
  • deflating
  • diminishing
  • drawing together
  • evaporating
  • omitting
  • tensing
  • withdrawing

antonyms for tightening

MOST RELEVANT
  • enlargement
  • increase
  • expansion
  • opening
  • amplification
  • dilation
  • extension
  • lengthening
  • spread
  • stretch
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
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How to use tightening in a sentence

She saw the tightening of his lips, the hardening of his eyes, beyond which he gave no other sign that she had hit him.
MISTRESS WILDINGRAFAEL SABATINI
So the captive sinks and moans when he finds that his break for freedom has led only to the tightening of his chains.
LOVE'S PILGRIMAGEUPTON SINCLAIR
One afternoon it began to freeze, and the frost increased with evening, which drew on like a stealthy tightening of bonds.
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWDTHOMAS HARDY
And then Agnes reminded herself, with tightening breath, that men like Frank Barlow are always kind—too kind—to women.
STUDIES IN LOVE AND IN TERRORMARIE BELLOC LOWNDES
Yet her right hand as though endowed with a volition of its own was tightening its grasp upon the hilt of the knife.
THE BEACH OF DREAMSH. DE VERE STACPOOLE
And then, some silent alarm clicked into place in Sabo's mind, tightening his stomach, screaming to be heard.
DERELICTALAN EDWARD NOURSE
He saw with a tightening of his heart-strings that Matilda looked wan, as if she, too, had lost much sleep.
ROBERT ANNYS: POOR PRIESTANNIE NATHAN MEYER
Mrs. Belcher felt the chain tightening, and knew that she was to be bound, whether willing or unwilling.
SEVENOAKSJ. G. HOLLAND
One more turn of your wheel—the tightening of the cord ever so slight—and a life worthless and burdensome will drop at your feet.
THE BROKEN SWORDDENNISON WORTHINGTON
Master Gammon was laboriously and steadily engaged in tightening himself with dumpling.
RHODA FLEMING, COMPLETEGEORGE MEREDITH
SYNONYM OF THE DAY
OCTOBER 26, 1985
Choose the synonym for future
capacitor
lightning
DeLorean

WORDS RELATED TO TIGHTENING

  • abbreviating
  • abbreviation
  • abridgment
  • compression
  • condensation
  • condensing
  • confinement
  • confining
  • constriction
  • curtailing
  • curtailment
  • cutting down
  • decrease
  • decreasing
  • deflating
  • deflation
  • diminishing
  • diminution
  • drawing together
  • dwindling
  • elision
  • evaporating
  • evaporation
  • lessening
  • narrowing
  • omission
  • omitting
  • receding
  • recession
  • reducing
  • reduction
  • shrinkage
  • shrinking
  • tensing
  • tightening
  • withdrawal
  • withdrawing
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.