Meanings
present singular third person tightens the purse strings · participle present tightening the purse strings · participle past tightened the purse strings · past tightened the purse strings · alternative tighten the purse-strings · alternative tighten the pursestrings
- colloquialidiomaticTo decrease spending or disallow increased spending; to increase control of spending.
...would have the opposite effect entirely, and would tighten the purse-strings of capitalists and the employers of...
1894, New Zealand Parliament, Parliamentary debates, page 7101 more example
It's hard for upper management to tighten the purse strings on a project that promises to save money, boost productivity and enable employees to respond better and faster to changing competitive situations.
1989 July 24, editorial, “Companies still backing the efforts of net managers”, in Network World, volume 6, number 29, page 28
Synonyms & antonyms
Translations
Finnish tiukentaa kukkaron nyörejä
- tiukentaa kukkaron nyörejäto decrease or cause to decrease spending
German den Gürtel enger schnallen
- den Gürtel enger schnallento decrease or cause to decrease spending
Italian stringere i cordoni della borsa, tirare la cinghia
- stringere i cordoni della borsato decrease or cause to decrease spending
- tirare la cinghiato decrease or cause to decrease spending
Cite this entry
tighten the purse strings. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tighten%20the%20purse%20strings
“tighten the purse strings.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tighten%20the%20purse%20strings. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tighten the purse strings,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tighten%20the%20purse%20strings.
Source: tighten the purse strings on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.