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

Pulled or stretched tight, with no slack.

"He pulled the rope taut before tying it off."

"The sail was taut against the wind."

Firm and toned, without excess softness — describing muscles or a body.

"Years of training had left her stomach taut and strong."

Tense with anxiety or nervous strain.

"The room fell into a taut silence as the results were read out."

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 notes

In 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

Word forms

tauter comparative, tauted past tense, tauts singular, tautest superlative

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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.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

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nonslack strained stretched strict tense tensioned tight

Antonyms

flaccid floppy lank lax limp loose lush relaxed

Related words

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Rhymes for taut

sauté Kraut beaut astronaut cosmonaut juggernaut sauerkraut

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.

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