tighten
tightens
tightening
tightened
Tighten means to make tighter or more secure. Regular verb: tighten-tightened-tightened.
Meanings
- To make tighter or firmer
- To become more strict
- To reduce slack
Common Collocations
tighten your belt
tighten security
tighten the screws
tighten up
tighten regulations
Tip for Learners
Tighten your belt means to spend less. Tighten the screws means to increase pressure on someone.
Present Simple
| I | tighten |
| you | tighten |
| he/she/it | tightens |
| we | tighten |
| they | tighten |
Examples - Present Simple
- I tighten my belt.
- You tighten the screws.
- She tightens security.
- We tighten the rules.
- They tighten regulations.
Present Continuous
| I | am tightening |
| you | are tightening |
| he/she/it | is tightening |
| we | are tightening |
| they | are tightening |
Examples - Present Continuous
- I am tightening my belt.
- You are tightening the screws.
- She is tightening security.
- We are tightening the rules.
- They are tightening regulations.
Present Perfect
| I | have tightened |
| you | have tightened |
| he/she/it | has tightened |
| we | have tightened |
| they | have tightened |
Examples - Present Perfect
- I have tightened my belt.
- You have tightened the screws.
- She has tightened security.
- We have tightened the rules.
- They have tightened regulations.
Present Perfect Continuous
| I | have been tightening |
| you | have been tightening |
| he/she/it | has been tightening |
| we | have been tightening |
| they | have been tightening |
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been tightening my belt.
- You have been tightening screws.
- She has been tightening security.
- We have been tightening rules.
- They have been tightening regulations.
Past Simple
| I | tightened |
| you | tightened |
| he/she/it | tightened |
| we | tightened |
| they | tightened |
Examples - Past Simple
- I tightened my belt.
- You tightened the screws.
- She tightened security.
- We tightened the rules.
- They tightened regulations.
Past Continuous
| I | was tightening |
| you | were tightening |
| he/she/it | was tightening |
| we | were tightening |
| they | were tightening |
Examples - Past Continuous
- I was tightening my belt.
- You were tightening screws.
- She was tightening security.
- We were tightening rules.
- They were tightening regulations.
Past Perfect
| I | had tightened |
| you | had tightened |
| he/she/it | had tightened |
| we | had tightened |
| they | had tightened |
Examples - Past Perfect
- I had tightened my belt.
- You had tightened the screws.
- She had tightened security.
- We had tightened rules.
- They had tightened regulations.
Past Perfect Continuous
| I | had been tightening |
| you | had been tightening |
| he/she/it | had been tightening |
| we | had been tightening |
| they | had been tightening |
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
- I had been tightening my belt.
- You had been tightening screws.
- He had been tightening security.
- We had been tightening rules.
- They had been tightening regulations.
Future Simple
| I | will tighten |
| you | will tighten |
| he/she/it | will tighten |
| we | will tighten |
| they | will tighten |
Examples - Future Simple
- I will tighten my belt.
- You will tighten the screws.
- She will tighten security.
- We will tighten rules.
- They will tighten regulations.
Future Continuous
| I | will be tightening |
| you | will be tightening |
| he/she/it | will be tightening |
| we | will be tightening |
| they | will be tightening |
Examples - Future Continuous
- I will be tightening my belt.
- You will be tightening screws.
- He will be tightening security.
- We will be tightening rules.
- They will be tightening regulations.
Future Perfect
| I | will have tightened |
| you | will have tightened |
| he/she/it | will have tightened |
| we | will have tightened |
| they | will have tightened |
Examples - Future Perfect
- I will have tightened my belt.
- You will have tightened the screws.
- She will have tightened security.
- We will have tightened rules.
- They will have tightened regulations.
Future Perfect Continuous
| I | will have been tightening |
| you | will have been tightening |
| he/she/it | will have been tightening |
| we | will have been tightening |
| they | will have been tightening |
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been tightening my belt.
- You will have been tightening screws.
- He will have been tightening security.
- We will have been tightening rules.
- They will have been tightening regulations.