straiten
(verb)
verb
1. bring into difficulties or distress, especially financial hardship
Similar word(s): distress
Definition categories: social, bother, discommode, disoblige, incommode, inconvenience, trouble
2. squeeze together
Definition categories: contact, confine, detain
Sentences with straiten as a verb:
- The channel straitened the river through the town, made it flow faster, and caused more flooding upstream.
- Rising costs put those on fixed incomes in straitened circumstances.