Learn English – word for, “To make more strict?”

word-request

We have words like strengthen which is to make stronger but that doesn't really match the meaning of what I'm looking for:

The so-and-so group _____ed its employee rules.

I'd like a word that would show that so-and-so group's employee rules became more strict or stringent. Strengthened, out of context, can mean multiple things, like the rules became more defined or the rules were updated to cover more etc.

Imagine going from a lackadaisical setting (like a school Janitor) to something of the U.S. Army. Mistakes are less tolerated and expectations are higher, etc., so a person going from such janitorial job to the army would experience a _____ing of rules.

Is there a word that fits this?

Best Answer

Tightening the rules would work exactly.

This is one of the direct definitions of the word. From OELD [1]:

[transitive] tighten something to make something become stricter

  • to tighten security

  • The government is to tighten controls on the sale of alcohol.

Because this is an exact definition for the word tighten, we use it to directly talk about making rules, policies, or regulations stricter.

[1] http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/us/definition/english/tighten

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