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
Examples of taut in a Sentence
Adjective
The rope was drawn taut.
The book is a taut thriller.
Recent Examples on the Web
Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
Dragging the roll slider up and down made the R1T go from a relaxed, floppy feel to a taut, engaging turner.
—Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025
Pull up on the towel until both of your arms form 90-degree angles; the towel should now feel taut.
—Alyssa Ages, Outside Online, 28 June 2025
Even a fairly young redfish is a taut torpedo of muscle—a beast of an animal, which after a few years can reach as much as nine pounds, almost too big for the shallow waters that have been its nursery.
—Boyce Upholt, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for taut
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Adjective
Nicola, played like a taut violin string by Embeth Davidtz (who also directed and adapted this story from Alexandra Fuller’s memoir of the same name), sleeps cradling an assault rifle.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
Dragging the roll slider up and down made the R1T go from a relaxed, floppy feel to a taut, engaging turner.
—Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2025
Pull up on the towel until both of your arms form 90-degree angles; the towel should now feel taut.
—Alyssa Ages, Outside Online, 28 June 2025
Even a fairly young redfish is a taut torpedo of muscle—a beast of an animal, which after a few years can reach as much as nine pounds, almost too big for the shallow waters that have been its nursery.
—Boyce Upholt, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for taut
Cite this Entry
“Taut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taut. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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