tense

1 of 3

adjective

ˈten(t)s 

tenser; tensest

1

: stretched tight : made taut : rigid

tense muscles

2

a

: 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

tensely adverb

tenseness noun

tense

2 of 3

verb

tensed; tensing

transitive verb

: to make tense

intransitive verb

: to become tense

tensed up and missed the putt

tense

3 of 3

noun

1

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

2

a

: 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

Synonyms

Adjective

• worried
• nervous
• anxious
• upset
• uneasy
• troubled
• apprehensive

Verb

• tighten

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

The Wizard of the Kremlin adapts Italian author Giuliano da Empoli’s award-winning novel of the same name into a tense political drama about the rise of Putin’s Russia. —Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025

Riggs fought back in Stage 2, reclaiming the top spot on Lap 60 and holding off Heim to take the stage win — setting up a tense final segment where tire wear stayed front and center. —Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 30 Aug. 2025

Verb

Seemingly immediately, your heart will begin racing and your muscles will start tensing. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025

Sport mode is where things get serious, tensing the car’s muscles and unleashing the entire prairie of horses. —Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2025

Noun

A lot of long-timers have been talking about the monsoon in the past tense, morose over the decline of an Arizona icon. —Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 2 Sep. 2025

There is no moment when Agu, or the reader, escapes the present tense of the narrative. —Katie Kitamura august 21, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

Adjective

1668, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1676, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tense

• future tense
• hyper-tense
• past tense
• perfect tense
• present tense
• progressive tense

Rhymes for tense

• cense
• dense
• fence
• hence
• lense
• mense
• sense
• thence
• whence
• antisense
• commonsense
• effulgence

Kids Definition

tense

1 of 3 noun

ˈten(t)s 

: a form of a verb used to show the past, present, or future time of the action or state it denotes

tense

2 of 3 adjective

tenser; tensest

1

: stretched tight : made rigid

tense muscles

2

: feeling or showing nervous tension

a tense smile

3

: marked by strain or uncertainty

a tense moment

tensely adverb

tenseness noun

tense

3 of 3 verb

tensed; tensing

: to make or become tense

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tens "time, tense," from early French tens (same meaning), from Latin tempus "time" — related to temporary

Adjective

from Latin tensus "stretched tight," from tendere "to stretch" — related to tender entry 2

Medical Definition

tense

1 of 2 adjective

ˈten(t)s 

tenser; tensest

1

: stretched tight : made taut or rigid

the skeletal musculature involuntarily becomes tense

—H. G. Armstrong

2

: feeling or showing nervous tension

was tense and irritable

tenseness noun

tense

2 of 2 verb

tensed; tensing

transitive verb

: to make tense

tense a muscle

intransitive verb

: to become tense