uptight

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.

So says Leslie Fremar, outing herself as the real-life inspiration for Emily, the uptight first assistant to fictional magazine editor Miranda Priestly.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

Sean Penn, Hollywood's eternal rebel, on Sunday won a third Oscar for his comic yet terrifying portrayal of an absurdly uptight soldier ashamed of his past in "One Battle After Another."

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

The depictions of Ruth’s uptight and stingy brother Hyacinth and jealous and mother-in-law from hell “old Mrs. Hall” are both hoots.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

On its surface, Atlas seems to be delivering a revenge fantasy: All those uptight women who rejected you will get dumped by the time they’re 30, guys!

From Salon • Nov. 21, 2025

He’d always been a mild kind of kid, rolling with the punches, loose and carefree, running around the track while the other kids sat uptight during practice sessions.

From "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier