taut
adjective
\ ˈtȯt
\
\
Definition of taut
(Entry 1 of 3)
1a
: having no give or slack : tightly drawn
a taut rope
b
: high-strung, tense
taut nerves
2a
: kept in proper order or condition
a taut ship
b(1)
: not loose or flabby
taut skin
(2)
: marked by economy of structure and detail
a taut story
taut
verb
tauted;
tauting;
tauts
Definition of taut (Entry 2 of 3)
taut-
combining form
variants:
or tauto-
Definition of taut- (Entry 3 of 3)
: same
tautomerism tautonym
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Examples of taut in a Sentence
Adjective
The rope was drawn taut. The book is a taut thriller.Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective
To create a smooth line, use your finger to make the skin around your eye taut, but don't tug. — Hana Hong, Marie Claire, "How to Apply Liquid Eyeliner Like a Pro: A Fast and Easy Guide," 26 July 2019 Griffin is taut and swift, gut-driven and fearless. — Jeffrey Fleishman, chicagotribune.com, "Kathy Griffin made $75 million making people laugh. But the phone’s not ringing," 22 July 2019 Griffin is taut and swift, gut-driven and fearless. — Los Angeles Times, "Kathy Griffin fell from the D-list to the S-list. She’s clawing her way back," 18 July 2019 Director Ramtin Lavafi’s taut thriller Hat Trick picked up the award for best film. — Mathew Scott, The Hollywood Reporter, "Malaysian Film Industry Looks to Cast Off Shadow of 1MDB Scandal," 24 July 2019 But, as soon as the first taut tiebreak ended, Djokovic seemed to relax and then, mentally and physically, collapse. — Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, "Novak Djokovic, a Spoiler and a Champion at Wimbledon," 14 July 2019 In a taut semifinal victory over England, Naeher, 31, had the defining moments of her international career. — Grant Wahl, SI.com, "Understated USA GK Alyssa Naeher Makes Her Women's World Cup Statement," 2 July 2019 Standing like a skyscraper, Rockwell’s Hess is spare and taut. — Brian T. Allen, National Review, "A Closer Look at Rockwell’s Four Freedoms," 22 June 2019 What follows is a taut, intelligent battle for survival. — Elena Nicolaou, refinery29.com, "These Terrifying Movies Will Ruin Your Beach Vacation," 15 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'taut.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for taut
taut
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of taut
: very tight from being pulled or stretched : not loose or slack
: firm and strong : not loose or flabby
: very tense
See the full definition for taut in the English Language Learners Dictionary
taut
adjective
\ ˈtȯt
\
\
tauter;
tautest
Kids Definition of taut
1
: tightly stretched
The rope was pulled taut.
2
: very tense
Will waited, suddenly taut with excitement.— Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising
3
: firm and not flabby
taut muscles