tighten

convulsively, involuntarily

His grip tightened involuntarily as the plane hit turbulence during landing.

up

We need to tighten up security at the office after last week's break-in.

feel sth, sense sth

She sensed the tension tighten in her shoulders as the deadline approached.

make sth

When she heard the news about the accident, her chest tightened with worry.

about/around/round

The rope tightened around the package as she pulled both ends of the knot.

on

The government has decided to tighten on environmental regulations starting next year.

in

My stomach tightened in anxiety as I waited for the exam results.

into

Her grip tightened into an iron fist as she held the rope during the climb.

with

The rope tightened with each pull, and the knot became impossible to undo.

take steps to

The government took steps to tighten security at airports after the incident.

up

The government decided to tighten up security measures at all airports last year.