## Examples
- The rope was taut between the two poles.
- Years of swimming had given her a taut, athletic body.
- Her face was taut with worry as she waited for the results.

## Synonyms
- nonslack
- strained
- stretched
- strict
- tense
- tensioned
- tight

## Antonyms
- flaccid
- floppy
- lank
- lax
- limp
- loose
- lush
- relaxed
- sagging
- slack
- untaut

## Derived Forms
- tauten
- tautly
- tautness

## Related Forms
- stressed

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *dewk-
- Root: taught
- Root: tohte
- Root: tēon

## Etymology
The adjective is derived from Middle English taught [and other forms], Early Middle English tohte, towehte (“strained, stretched; distended; tight; firm”), probably from tough, touth, touʒth, toʒt (“powerful, strong; fierce, violent; not tender, tough; hardy, resilient; steadfast, stout; difficult to do or endure”) and possibly influenced by togen, towen, past participle of ten (“to extend, stretch out; to drag, haul, pull, tow, tug”) (modern English tee (“(obsolete) to draw, lead; to draw away; to go, proceed”)), or directly from its etymon Old English tēon (“to drag, draw, pull”) (ultimately…

## AI Etymology
The adjective taut is derived from Middle English taught [and other forms], Early Middle English tohte, towehte (“strained, stretched; distended; tight; firm”), probably from tough, touth, touʒth, toʒt (“powerful, strong; fierce, violent; not tender, tough; hardy, resilient; steadfast, stout; difficult to do or endure”) and possibly influenced by togen, towen, past participle of ten (“to extend, stretch out; to drag, haul, pull, tow, tug”) (modern English tee (“(obsolete) to draw, lead; to draw away; to go, proceed”)), or directly from its etymon Old English tēon (“to drag, draw, pull”) (ultimately… In present-day use, it can mean stretched or pulled tight, with no slack, or firm and toned, not loose or flabby.

## Topics
- Emotions & Feelings

markdown

taut

Meanings

Thesaurus

Etymology

Topics

External links

Keyboard Shortcuts

General

Send feedback