1
a
: having no give or slack : tightly drawn
a taut rope
b
: high-strung, tense
taut nerves
2
a
: 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
tautly
adverb
tautness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of taut in a Sentence
Adjective
The rope was drawn taut.
The book is a taut thriller.
Recent Examples on the Web
Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 4 July 2024
The builders used a common construction method for the floors called post-tension that involves pouring cement around taut steel cables that must stay intact even after the cement dries.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2024
Directed by Richard Donner, The Omen is a taut, smartly made supernatural thriller.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 7 June 2024
But since 1994, when the Vancouver Canucks lost a taut seven-game series to the New York Rangers, the NHL’s Canadian teams have been only fleeting competitors for the Stanley Cup.
—Matt Bonesteel, Washington Post, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for taut 
Adjective
On the 27th date of The Forget Tomorrow World Tour Wednesday at Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena, Timberlake worked to shake off the tarnish that accompanied his DWI arrest in New York June 18 with two hours of taut showmanship and apparent graciousness.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 4 July 2024
The builders used a common construction method for the floors called post-tension that involves pouring cement around taut steel cables that must stay intact even after the cement dries.
—Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2024
Directed by Richard Donner, The Omen is a taut, smartly made supernatural thriller.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 7 June 2024
But since 1994, when the Vancouver Canucks lost a taut seven-game series to the New York Rangers, the NHL’s Canadian teams have been only fleeting competitors for the Stanley Cup.
—Matt Bonesteel, Washington Post, 24 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for taut
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'taut.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Taut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taut. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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