Synonyms of tense

tense 1 of 2

adjective

ˈten(t)s 

1

as in worried

feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty

was tense about the upcoming bar exam

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worried
• nervous
• anxious
• upset
• uneasy
• troubled
• apprehensive
• uptight
• jittery
• jumpy
• hesitant
• concerned
• perturbed
• queasy
• disturbed
• bothered
• flustered
• nervy
• unquiet
• ill at ease
• insecure
• goosey
• edgy
• on pins and needles
• on edge
• antsy
• on tenterhooks
• dithery
• het up
• distraught
• restless
• preoccupied
• freaked
• hinky
• obsessed
• aflutter
• fretful
• aggrieved
• foreboding
• distressed
• atwitter
• disquieted
• vexed
• keyed up
• hung up
• shook-up
• fretting
• freaked-out
• fidgety
• unnerved
• high-strung
• unstrung
• misgiving
• undone
• fluttery
• spooky
• stewing
• qualmish
• qualmy
• skittish
• flighty
• hypertense
• twittered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calm
• easy
• relaxed
• collected
• cool
• nerveless
• sure
• confident
• controlled
• happy-go-lucky
• self-assured
• self-confident
• self-controlled

2

as in uneasy

marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings

a tense relationship existed between the two teachers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• uneasy
• disturbing
• anxious
• nervous
• unsettling
• restless
• fraught
• unnerving
• distressful
• creepy
• distressing
• worrisome
• disquieting
• agitating
• nail-biting
• strained
• nerve-racking
• hairy
• embarrassing
• awkward
• troublesome
• bothersome
• foreboding
• discouraging
• restive
• disheartening
• unrestful
• misgiving

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easy
• comfortable
• quiet
• peaceful
• tranquil
• calming
• restful
• quieting
• pacific

3

as in tight

stretched with little or no give

a tense rope

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tight
• taut
• tightened
• rigid
• stiff
• unrelaxed
• inflexible
• unyielding
• firm

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• loose
• lax
• slack
• relaxed
• limp
• hanging
• flaccid
• floppy
• sagging
• loosened
• flexible
• elastic
• yielding
• lank
• droopy
• resilient
• supple
• pliant
• springy
• slackened
• drooping
• stretchy

tense

2 of 2

verb

as in to tighten

to draw tight

he tensed his muscles and attempted to lift the heavy appliance onto the truck

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tighten
• stretch
• tauten
• strain
• elongate
• lengthen
• constrict
• extend
• cinch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• loosen
• relax
• ease
• slacken
• slack

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tense

Adjective

The Seahawks struggled to put together consistent drives, but when Bears tight end Colston Loveland had the ball stripped by DeMarcus Lawrence for a turnover that set up Seattle on the Bears 25-yard line, things got a little tense. — Brad Biggs, Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 2026

That set up a somewhat tense final stretch, with UCLA doing just enough to hold on. — Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026

Verb

Ewing has recognized his shoulders tensing and his upper body going stiff. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 21 June 2026

Be a good child, do what they’re told, be the best child, a tremble in their hands, say nothing, tensed for the knock on the door. — Literary Hub, 17 June 2026