adj
C1
Advanced
taut
tawt
Taut (adj) means Pulled or stretched tight, with no slack. Example: “He pulled the rope taut before tying it off.”
adj
1
Pulled or stretched tight, with no slack.
"He pulled the rope taut before tying it off."
"The sail was taut against the wind."
2
Firm and toned, without excess softness — describing muscles or a body.
"Years of training had left her stomach taut and strong."
3
Tense with anxiety or nervous strain.
"The room fell into a taut silence as the results were read out."
4
Tightly controlled and free of excess, especially describing writing or plotting.
"The thriller was praised for its taut, economical prose."
How to use taut
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishStretched tight — physically (a rope, a body) or figuratively (tense nerves, tightly controlled writing).
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "taught" (the past tense of teach) — they sound identical but are unrelated in meaning.
Easily confused with
taught
taunt →
Common pairings
pull taut
a taut thriller
taut muscles
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like taut.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Word forms
- Third person singular
- tauts
- Past tense
- tauted
- Comparative
- tauter
- Superlative
- tautest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
He pulled the rope _____ before tying it off.
Etymology
From Middle English forms related to tough and to the verb "to draw or pull tight" — its spelling and sense later merged with those roots.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for taut
See all rhymes for taut →Frequently asked questions
What does “taut” mean?
The word “taut” means pulled or stretched tight, with no slack. In plain terms, stretched tight — physically (a rope, a body) or figuratively (tense nerves, tightly controlled writing).
How do you pronounce “taut”?
“Taut” is pronounced tawt (/tɔːt/ in IPA).
How do you use “taut” in a sentence?
Here is “taut” used in a sentence: “He pulled the rope taut before tying it off.”
What is another word for “taut”?
Words with a similar meaning to “taut” include nonslack, strained, stretched, strict, tense and tensioned.
What is the opposite of “taut”?
The opposite of “taut” — its antonyms — are flaccid, floppy, lank, lax and limp.
What part of speech is “taut”?
“Taut” is an adjective.
Where does the word “taut” come from?
The word “taut” comes from Middle English. From Middle English forms related to tough and to the verb "to draw or pull tight" — its spelling and sense later merged with those roots.
How many meanings does “taut” have?
“Taut” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: pulled or stretched tight, with no slack.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include taut:
