0 a reduction in spending by consumers, businesses, governments, etc., usually because they have financial problems:
1 involving a reduction in spending:
Over the past twenty years, Germany and Italy have taken belt-tightening measures that have helped improve their economies.
The government has recommended a series of belt-tightening reforms.
Several more rounds of belt-tightening followed.
During her time as minister she undertook a wide range of belt-tightening measures.
After years of belt-tightening, the hospital's future finally looked brighter.
Expenditure on the assisted places scheme is set to rise inexorably, to provide for increased take-up, revised forecasts of parental contributions and fee increases at participating schools—no belt-tightening there.
I should like to meet a fisherman who has any belt-tightening left to do.
We constantly hear about the result of sacrifices, of belt-tightening and of pulling up our socks.
In times of general belt-tightening, it looks very bad if politicians authorise further privileges for their own organisations.
No matter how good the present housekeeping and belt-tightening in the defence field may be, they will not satisfy the critics.
