Wiktionary
tautening
vb. (present participle of tauten English)
Usage examples of "tautening".
Suddenly, the image of Kira threw its head back, the cords of its neck tautening, mouth grimacing in pain.
Another rush, met by a paying-out, a gradual tautening of the line, a strong and steady pull.
Her back was now beginning to protest at the strain the hold had put her under, but she replied to this by tautening and tensing her frame so that her spine formed an arc that spread the tension throughout her body and used it as a springboard for her own move.
I ran my hand over my belly, the skin still flaccid, the deflated bag of birth, nevertheless tautening itself quickly.