How to pronounce tighten
Say it like TY-tun. Tighten has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TY).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce tighten. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- TY
- tun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Tighten pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- TYSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in time.
- tunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of tighten
- Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t.
British respelling: TY-tun.
What does tighten mean?
- make tight or tighter“Tighten the wire”
- become tight or tighter“The rope tightened”
- severely restrict in scope or extent“tighten the rules”“stiffen the regulations”
Where does tighten come from?
Synchronically equivalent to tight + -en, but actually derived from Middle English tighten, from Old English tyhtan, thus originally unrelated to tight (Old English *þiht).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with tighten
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of tighten.
Words that sound like tighten
Questions about saying tighten
How do you pronounce tighten?
Say TY-tun. The American pronunciation is /ˈtaɪtən/. In British English it is /ˈtaɪtən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in tighten?
Tighten has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (TY). Broken into parts: TY · tun.
Is tighten pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans usually soften the t in the middle into a quick d-like tap; British speakers keep a crisp t. The British form is /ˈtaɪtən/ (TY-tun).
What words sound the same as tighten?
Tighten sounds the same as titan in American English. The spelling and meaning are what tell them apart.