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Synonyms

belt-tightening

American  
[belt-tahyt-n-ing] / ˈbɛltˌtaɪt n ɪŋ /

noun

  1. a curtailment in spending; period of economizing.

    The mayor ordered a belt-tightening for all city offices.

Etymology

Origin of belt-tightening

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It has also argued that it could turn belt-tightening to its advantage by offering frozen versions of eat-out favorites such as P.F.

From Barron's

The trend reflects more than just belt-tightening.

From Barron's

The changes are stripping work trips of whatever shred of glamour they had after years of belt-tightening.

From The Wall Street Journal

Ubisoft on Wednesday ended a months-long wait for details of a restructuring the French games giant hopes will power it up to face a competitive market -- at the price of a string of cancelled games and a new round of belt-tightening.

From Barron's

Analysts and automakers predict U.S. annual sales will fall in 2026 following three straight years of gains as belt-tightening American car buyers collide with tariff costs that companies probably won’t keep absorbing.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.