tenser; tensest
1
: nervous and not able to relax
She was feeling pretty tense.
Why are you so tense?
2
: showing or causing nervousness
a tense situation
We sat quietly for a few tense moments.
It was a tense meeting.
a tense thriller
3
: not relaxed but hard and tight
My calf muscles are really tense.
tense muscles
tenses; tensed; tensing
1
: to make (a muscle) hard and tight
She tensed her shoulders.
Her shoulders tensed (up).
2
: to become nervous or tense
She tensed as he walked toward her.
He tensed up and missed the putt.
plural tenses
grammar
: a form of a verb that is used to show when an action happened
The sentence will read better if you change the tense of the verb.
You should avoid changing tense in the middle of a paragraph.
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/tense. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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