adj

uptight

uhp-TYT

adj

Overly strict, anxious, or rigid about rules and behaviour; unable to relax.

"Don't be so uptight — it's just a joke."

"He got uptight whenever anyone was late to a meeting."

How to Use Uptight

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTense, easily annoyed, and overly rule-bound — the opposite of relaxed or laid-back.

When to use it

Informal; common in everyday speech about someone's personality or mood.

Common pairings

get uptight about something an uptight person wound up and uptight

uptighter comparative, more uptight comparative, uptights plural, uptightest superlative, most uptight superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Can you complete this real example?

Don't be so _____ — it's just a joke.