tense

adjective

\ ˈten(t)s

tenser; tensest

Definition of tense

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : stretched tight : made taut : rigid tense muscles

2a : feeling or showing nervous tension a tense smile

b : marked by strain or suspense a tense thriller

3 : produced with the muscles involved in a relatively tense state the vowels \ē\ and \ü\ in contrast with the vowels \i\ and \u̇\ are tense

tense

verb

tensed; tensing

Definition of tense (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

: to make tense

intransitive verb

: to become tense tensed up and missed the putt

tense

noun

Definition of tense (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : a distinction of form in a verb to express distinctions of time or duration of the action or state it denotes

2a : a set of inflectional forms of a verb that express distinctions of time

b : an inflectional form of a verb expressing a specific time distinction

Other Words from tense Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about tense

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Examples of tense in a Sentence

Adjective

She was feeling pretty tense. Why are you so tense? We sat quietly for a few tense moments. It was a tense meeting. My calf muscles are really tense.

Verb

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

Noun

The sentence will read better if you change the tense of the verb. You should avoid changing tense in the middle of a paragraph.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

One of the things that makes The Conformist so tense and taut is that the film’s aesthetic and composition visually surrounds the viewer, trapping us, alongside Marcello, within the increasingly distorted horror that his reality has become. — Aja Romano, Vox, "Why Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Conformist still resonates today," 3 Dec. 2018 If a prenup comes from a place of fear, anxiety, or distrust, then it will be experienced as a tense and negative component of the relationship. — Hannah Hickok, Glamour, "I Got a Prenup—but It Wasn't to Protect My Money," 27 Nov. 2018 This week’s episode flashes back and forth in time to reveal how the Pearsons have rung in the holiday, and you might be comforted to learn their dinner table conversations are just as tense and dramatic as some of our own. — Candice Frederick, Harper's BAZAAR, "This Is Us Season 3 Episode 8: Miguel Claps Back," 21 Nov. 2018 The ads come amid the tense and bitter run-up to Tuesday’s midterm elections, as national politics increasingly pivots on fundamental issues of race and identity. — Eli Rosenberg, The Seattle Times, "Republicans attack Jewish candidates, including Kim Schrier, with an age-old caricature: fistfuls of cash," 6 Nov. 2018 That’s right — those movies that make some people tense up with fear and racked with emotional distress are exactly the kind of medicine for some people living with anxiety. — Brittney Mcnamara, Teen Vogue, "Horror Movies Help People Cope With Anxiety," 15 Oct. 2018 In April, the Cambridge Analytica data-mining crisis saw Mark Zuckerberg grilled by the United States Senate over a tense and highly publicized two days in Washington DC. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Facebook Takes a Break from Privacy Scandals to Release a Smart Camera That Films You in Your Home," 8 Oct. 2018 Thousands filled the streets during the long hours of tense debate. — Doug Criss, CNN, "5 things for June 15: FBI report, immigration, Trump Foundation, Argentina, teens," 15 June 2018 The no-confidence vote followed a tense parliamentary debate. — Raphael Minder, New York Times, "Spain’s Prime Minister, Mariano Rajoy, Is Ousted in No-Confidence Vote," 1 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Experiment with keeping your muscles in your body tensed, and also with relaxing them. — Vanessa Marin, Allure, "Ask a Sex Therapist: Help, I Can't Tell If I Just Had My First Orgasm or Not," 16 July 2018 Progressive muscle relaxation is simply tensing and relaxing various muscle groups in the body, explains Bonior. — Casey Gueren, SELF, "We Asked Therapists How to Feel a Little Bit Better This Week. Here are Their Self-Care Tips," 3 Oct. 2018 Willa relented, though her shoulders hunched, her face tensing through the initial strokes. — David Gilbert, The New Yorker, "Fungus," 4 June 2017 When Harris felt something inConde's sock, Conde tensed up and turned on the officer, according to the report. — Uriel J. Garcia, azcentral, "Mesa police video shows officers punching, mocking man in drug arrest," 13 June 2018 Imagine the scene: Arms tensed, bow flexed, a hunter on the African savanna draws in a slow breath as his prey moves into view. — Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, "Beyond the Condom," 11 May 2018 Castillo Laffita and Marcel Mendez also begin to tense up. — Jeffrey Gantz, BostonGlobe.com, "DanzAbierta’s ‘MalSon’ evokes contemporary Havana," 17 Mar. 2018 The alliance has tensed relations between Washington and Ankara, who are NATO allies. — Washington Post, "Syrian Kurdish leader detained in Prague on Turkey’s request," 7 Mar. 2018 But the team has tensed up during crucial moments in recent games at Smoothie King Center, which has frustrated both fans and players alike. — William Guillory, NOLA.com, "5 things the Pelicans need to fix to make the playoffs," 2 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Indeed, as the technician at Mission Control began narrating the final steps of the landing process, the mood in the room turned palpable tense. — Paul Roberts, The Seattle Times, "Mars landing is a nail-biter for Redmond rocket engineers," 26 Nov. 2018 On Monday's episode of The View, things got especially (and unusually) tense between co-hosts Meghan McCain and Joy Behar. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "'The View' Star Whoopi Goldberg Had to Break Up Meghan McCain and Joy Behar's Heated Debate," 30 Oct. 2018 On Captain Wild Bill’s boat, things are getting tense as well. — Tyler Mccarthy, Fox News, "'Deadliest Catch' Season 14, Episode 14 recap: Tensions rise as crews members misbehave," 10 July 2018 Mlinda struggles to teach business concepts (Mr Bhaskar notes that the local language does not even have a future tense). — The Economist, "Mini-grids could be a boon to poor people in Africa and Asia," 12 July 2018 Her voice tenses slightly, indicating a laugh is on its way. — Vanessa Chow, Glamour, "Introducing Kate McKinnon, Movie Star," 26 June 2018 The situation could get more tense, Young said, as the pups in the newest litter reach six to eight weeks of age and begin traveling with the adults around the park. — Peter Fimrite, San Francisco Chronicle, "Coyote alert: SF is home to seven new pups in the Presidio," 4 June 2018 At the beginning of the summer, these 16-year-olds walk into the classroom tense and uncertain (the classrooms are inside some of the top companies and colleges in America). — Christina Lewis, The Root, "Change Your Life by Celebrating Failure," 19 Mar. 2018 Then a muscle running forward from the tip of one rib to the skin tenses to pull the skeleton and body forward over the skin. — James Gorman, New York Times, "How the Snake Pours Its Way Across the Ground," 6 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tense.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for tense

Adjective

borrowed from Latin tensus, from past participle of tendere "to extend outward, stretch, spread out" — more at tender entry 3

Verb

derivative of tense entry 1

Noun

Middle English tens, borrowed from Anglo-French tens, temps "time, moment, season, tense," going back to Latin tempus "period of time, season, tense" — more at tempo

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