Test Your Vocabulary

Take Our 10-Question Quiz

Name That Thing

Take our visual vocab quiz

Test Your Knowledge »

True or False?

A quick quiz about stuff worth knowing

Take It Now »

Join Us on FB & Twitter

Get the Word of the Day and More

Facebook | Twitter
  1. Word Games
  2. Word of the Day
  3. New Words & Slang
  4. Video
 

tense


3tense

verb
tensedtens·ing

Definition of TENSE

transitive verb
: to make tense
intransitive verb
: to become tense <tensed up and missed the putt>
See tense defined for English-language learners »

Examples of TENSE

  1. She tensed as he walked toward her.
  2. He tensed up and missed the putt.

First Known Use of TENSE

1676

Related to TENSE

Synonyms: strain, stretch, tauten, tighten
Antonyms: loosen, slack, slacken
Related Words: elongate, extend, lengthen; cinch, constrict
Near Antonyms: ease, relax
[+]more[-]hide

Learn More About TENSE

Browse

Next Word in the Dictionary: tense auxiliary
Previous Word in the Dictionary: tens digit
All Words Near: tense

Seen & Heard

What made you want to look up tense? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).