uptight

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Sean Penn, Hollywood's eternal rebel, on Sunday won a third Oscar for his comic yet terrifying portrayal of an absurdly uptight soldier ashamed of his past in "One Battle After Another."

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

The depictions of Ruth’s uptight and stingy brother Hyacinth and jealous and mother-in-law from hell “old Mrs. Hall” are both hoots.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

On its surface, Atlas seems to be delivering a revenge fantasy: All those uptight women who rejected you will get dumped by the time they’re 30, guys!

From Salon • Nov. 21, 2025

I've worked so hard to be in these positions, the last thing I'm going to do is get uptight about it.

From BBC • Nov. 8, 2025

He pauses, then says, “Haven’t you read Jane Austen? We English are more uptight than you lot, isn’t that so?”

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson