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?
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
Attribution
Source : Link , Question Author : Kröw , Answer Author : David Bodow
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#1
I want to say that they need to make the rules more strict. Which sounds a bit clumsy. I want to use a verb for it. Something like They wan to strickten the rules, but my spellcheck says that is a worng word. Help anyone?
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#2
Is there anything wrong with using «make the rules more strict»? That’s how I would express it if I were writing this idea.
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#3
You are probably thinking of strengthen.
But a common alternative to Owlman’s suggestion is to tighten up the rules.
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#4
It is, because I am writing that the authorities will need to to review and stricten the rules. So I am looking for a nice synonym for what I call stricten, so that I can avoide to write it in the long form «review the rules and make them more strict».
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#5
E2’s «strengthen» sounds pretty good, but I find it a little unclear. Generally, «strengthening» something is to make it stronger. I don’t necessarily consider «strong» a synonym for «strict» although it could be when referring to rules. Does that make sense?
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#6
I want to say that they need to make the rules more strict. Which sounds a bit clumsy. I want to use a verb for it. Something like They wan to strickten the rules, but my spellcheck says that is a worng word. Help anyone?
«Tighten (up) the rules» would work for me.
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#7
Tight tighten
Strong streghten
Strict stricen — why does this one not work? 
Thanks guys for the help!!! At least I knwo that the word really does not exist.
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#8
We just don’t have that verb, EJ. English relies heavily on adverbs and adjectives to express things that other languages do with other parts of speech.
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#9
I would use your original sentence but instead of strict use stringent.
«…they need to make the rules more stringent.»
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#10
𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘯 is a real word. It just hasn’t made it to the dictionaries yet.
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#11
From Wiki
‘stricten’
(third-person singular simple present strictens, present participle strictening, simple past and past participle strictened)
- (transitive, intransitive, rare) To make or become strict; tightenquotations ▲
- 1967, Economic Statistics, volume 10, number 3-12:
The Bank of Japan strictened, since August, its guidance on the fund position of city banks; it raised, as from September, the official interest rate by #0.001 (per 100 yen per diem); and it also enforced a measure for restricting the increased loans to be extended by urban banks.- 2013, Issues in Global Environment—Pollution and Waste Management:
According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Overall, the study indicates that paraffinic HVO fuels are suitable for emission reduction with valve and injection timing adjustment and thus provide possibilities for engine manufacturers to meet the strictening emission.»- 2013, A. Fog, Cultural Selection:
He has no other option than to find some laws that can be strictened, well knowing that it is wrong to make hasty legislation in a highly emotional climate
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#12
𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘯 is a real word. It just hasn’t made it to the dictionaries yet.
The difference between tight/tighten, strong/strengthen and strict/
stricten
might come from their origins. Strict is from the Latin verb stringere, to draw tight or compress; the past participle of stringere is strictus and the present participle is stringens (hence strict and stringent come from the same word). Tighten and strengthen are descendants of proto-Germanic words.
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#1
Hey,
I have surfed a bit and I know that ‘stricter’ is preferred but is it all right to use ‘more strict’?
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#2
Simply, ‘no’. Stricter is the correct superlative.
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#3
I don’t think there is such a word as «stricter»
The rules are strict.
The writing rules are more strict.
The speaking rules are the most strict.
There is the noun form: strickness and the adverbial form strictly.
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#5
Yes, you are correct. I just don’t like it
Stricter and strickest can be used.
(I’ll have my Crow BBQ’ed please)
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#6
Ok, I’m still a bit confused but thanks a lot anyway. I think it’s safer to use ‘stricter’. Cambridge Online Dictionaries seems to think so, too.
I’m studying English and having a hard time with stuff like that. Did I just use ‘stuff’ on a language forum?
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#7
Mark, ‘stuff’ in the context you used it just then was coined in 1580…don’t sweat about it!!!
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#8
IMHO, both are acceptable.
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#10
Hi
I heard «more strict» the other day and it sounded a little odd.
The rule goes that if you have a single syllable adjective, then add «er».
As «strict» fits that description, I’d go with «stricter». That, of course, is not to say that in some parts of the US, Canada, or even the UK, «more strict» is being used and considered «natural».
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#11
Hi
I heard «more strict» the other day and it sounded a little odd.
The rule goes that if you have a single syllable adjective, then add «er».
As «strict» fits that description, I’d go with «stricter».
Absolutely correct, whatever anyone may say to the contrary, the rule is as you say.(with the obvious exceptions of good, bad, far)
Last edited by a moderator: Jan 25, 2009
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#12
Actually the prescriptive «more strict» is used far more. If you google the two to see how often they are used, you get over 5.3 million for it, and only 820,000 for «stricter».
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#13
I think, ‘very strict’ sounds a lot better than the two…
ie. ‘My mother is a very strict person compare to my father.’
But, I would use stricter in the following sentence:
‘My mother is a lot stricter compare to my father’.
Also,
‘My mother is more strict when my father isn’t around.
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#14
I think, ‘very strict’ sounds a lot better than the two…
ie. ‘My mother is a very strict person compare to my father.’
But, I would use stricter in the following sentence:
‘My mother is a lot stricter compare to my father’.
Also,
‘My mother is more strict when my father isn’t around.
Why come up with ungrammatical explanations when it is obvious that «strict» is a short adjective. Therefore, the comparative form of this adj is simply «stricter» & its superlative form is «the strictest.»
«More strict» is :cross:
Otherwise, «beautifuler» would be correct.:-?
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#15
Why come up with ungrammatical explanations when it is obvious that «strict» is a short adjective. Therefore, the comparative form of this adj is simply «stricter» & its superlative form is «the strictest.»
«More strict» is :cross:
Otherwise, «beautifuler» would be correct.:-?
huh?
I’m not sure if I understood you correctly here.
You wrote that ‘more strict is wrong’ and you also believe that ‘stricter’ is also incorrect.
Obviously, there’s no such word as ‘beautifuler’. However, you can say,
«she is more beautiful than…»
By the way, I forgot to mention that I’m no expert in English. I’m just a learner.
Last edited: Dec 22, 2009
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#16
Would I be right in clarifying the general consensus here?
‘Strict’ ‘stricter’ ‘strictest’ — correct
‘Strict’ ‘more strict’ ‘most strict’ — correct
Which you say is up to you. Generally, American English goes for the suffix, British English goes for the two word combination. Neither is more or less correct than the other.
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#17
huh?
I’m not sure if I understood you correctly here.
You wrote that ‘more strict is wrong’ and you also believe that ‘stricter’ is also incorrect.
Obviously, there’s no such word as ‘beautifuler’. However, you can say,
«she is more beautiful than…»By the way, I forgot to mention that I’m no expert in English. I’m just a learner.
NO!!!! stricter is correct!
+ re-read it again, I said if more strict was correct then beautifuler would be correct as well. 
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#18
NO!!!! stricter is correct!
+ re-read it again, I said if more strict was correct then beautifuler would be correct as well.
The rules of language occur after the language is established. There are plenty of words which do not fit the ‘1 syllable = -er, -est’ rule. There are also plently of words which can both be made comparative/superlative by adding the suffixes, or by using ‘more __’.
Indeed, almost all words that use the suffix -er or -est can be said using ‘more ___’.
What makes ‘strict’ (and whatever other words are posible) able to be both isn’t a matter for rules as much as it’s a matter for usage. People say ‘stricter’ and people say ‘more strict’. I can assure you that ‘more strict’ is more common where I am from, and I hear and see both in the media and in writing.
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#19
NO!!!! stricter is correct!
+ re-read it again, I said if more strict was correct then beautifuler would be correct as well.
Sorry, I’m a bit slow here…
I don’t understand why you compare «more strict» with «beautifuler». Why don’t you compare «more strict» with «more beautiful» instead?
You believe that «stricter» is correct, but «beautifuler» is incorrect.
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#20
Sorry, I’m a bit slow here…
I don’t understand why you compare «more strict» with «beautifuler». Why don’t you compare «more strict» with «more beautiful» instead?
You believe that «stricter» is correct, but «beautifuler» is incorrect.
Grammatically speaking, there is no such thing as «more strict» even though it is commonly used. Lots of native speakers make mistakes, even us in our 1st lge. I compared «more strict» to «beautifuler» because the latter is incorrect both syntactically & grammatically.
beautifuller & beautifuler don’t exsist, & neither does «more strict» — again grammatically speaking.
When using comparatives in English, it can be challenging to know whether to modify the word or whether to the word “more” before it. This article looks at whether “stricter” or more strict” is the correct option and provides examples to use the term correctly.
According to the dictionary, the correct comparative for “strict” is “stricter”, following the same rule as other short adjectives where the word is modified with a suffix rather than by adding “more.” However, in some contexts, “more strict” can be correct, and some use it to mean “stricter.”
The rule for comparatives in English states that if the word is short, such as big, fast, and dark, then the word is modified with the suffix -er, and if the word is long, such as beautiful or dangerous, then the word “more” is added.
Therefore, in the case of strict, which is a short word, the correct thing to do is to add -er, so it becomes “stricter.”
In particular examples, the phrase “more strict” could be correct, but it can also be quite vague when used as a comparative, which is why “stricter” is preferred.
For example, In the sentence “we need more strict guidelines to complete the project”, it is unclear whether the guidelines need to be stricter or whether you need “additional” strict guidelines to the ones you already have.
Nonetheless, in certain parts of the world, the term “more strict” is used to mean both “harsher or more severe” and “additional strict measures.”
Stricter
“Stricter” is perfectly correct and is the comparative form of the word “strict.”
The word “stricter” is listed in the Collins Dictionary and means “severer or harsher.” It essentially represents an increase in the severity of rules, or that one set of rules or governance is harsher than another.
Here are some examples of how to use “stricter” in a sentence:
- My mother was always stricter with me than my father
- Some countries have stricter drug laws than others
- As a teacher, I have become stricter as I have gotten older.
- It would be best if you were stricter with your children, or they will start running rings around you.
More Strict
“More strict” is an alternative way of saying “stricter” and is the comparative of the word “strict” in some parts of the world.
Some people argue that it is incorrect because it doesn’t follow the traditional comparative rules, which state that the suffix -er should be added to short words.
Regardless, it is pretty common to hear people say, “more strict”, especially in the US.
The second meaning of “more strict” and the more “correct” use is part of a longer sentence. In these sentences, “more strict” means something “additional” to what we already have. So, for example, we could request “more strict rules” because we don’t have enough.
The problem with using it as a comparative is that it can be vague because of the ambiguity between the original use of the adjective “strict.”
The following example shows this
- I wish my teacher would give us more strict rules about what to include in the essay.
In the sentence above, it is not 100% clear whether we want the rules to be “stricter” or whether we want “additional” rules.
By adding more words, the sentence becomes more precise, but these words are not always added, and when they are not, “more strict” can be confusing.
- I wish my teacher would give us more strict rules like the ones she gave us last time.
Here are some examples of “more strict” in a sentence:
- You need to be more strict about your diet and avoid soft drinks.
- We should be more strict at punishing corruption in politics.
- If I am doing the shopping, I want some more strict instructions like the ones you gave me last time.
- There are more strict people in this school than lenient ones, unfortunately.
Which Is Used the Most?
The Google Ngram Viewer shows that “stricter” has always been far more popular globally than “more strict.” There is not much variation between countries, and the trends are almost the same for the UK and US.
“More strict” still appears, although it has never enjoyed high frequency. Furthermore, some of that use is attributed to its second use, which means “additional.”
Final Thoughts
“Stricter” is the correct comparative form of the word “strict”, although “more strict” is used with a certain degree of frequency around the world. The version “stricter” is more concise and accurate because it removes that ambiguity that “more strict” creates because of its two meanings.
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.