tense 1 of 2

adjective

ˈten(t)s How to pronounce tense (audio)
Definition of tensenext
1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty was tense about the upcoming bar exam

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings a tense relationship existed between the two teachers

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3
as in tight
stretched with little or no give a tense rope

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tense
Adjective
The star’s latest real estate move comes in the midst of a tense legal battle with her ex-husband, French actor Olivier Martinez, over the custody of their teenage son. — Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 19 Oct. 2026 In this golden age of cringe, that earlier art of transgression—with its tense silences, humiliations, and hostile disturbance of the performer-audience relationship—was channeled downstream. — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 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 See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
  1. worried
  2. uneasy
  3. tight
  4. tighten
  5. nervous
  6. disturbing
  7. taut
  8. anxious
Adjective
  • Many were worried that this would lead to productivity losses.
    — Volen Vulkov, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • On Monday morning, a relative of Cantrell who was worried that the baby might be Cantrell’s called police.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • Giving team members insight into what is known, what remains unchanged and what may come next can help people navigate uneasy periods of uncertainty with greater confidence.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Experts say Chinese officials likely felt uneasy about that opening.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • Opinion polls predict tight race Domestically, Vucic has pledged higher pensions and public sector salaries, investment in state healthcare and subsidies for young couples.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Both parties expect whoever wins in November to do so by a tight margin in a state of 738,000 people.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of tight
Verb
  • Expect more substitution too, especially if canned supplies tighten late in the season.
    — Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The tightening pressure gradient between these systems will produce a prolonged period of northeast winds, pushing water toward the beaches and into the back bays.
    — Grant Gilmore, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of tighten
Adjective
  • Since the incident, the flamingo has been doing all right physically but is more anxious and nervous when being evaluated, said Peachy’s veterinarian, Tiffany Moore, medical director of Lone Mountain Animal Hospital.
    — Jessica Hill, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
  • As the military-style helicopter hovered above them, attendees from the rural, predominantly Latino community, began to get nervous.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • For Daughtry, who was dispatched to work the crash by his editor that day, the assignment was one of the most disturbing of his career.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
  • This disturbing contradiction suggests that different physical laws apply to the observer and the observed.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • Unlike straps, which work only when taut, struts are rigid and can resist forces pushing or pulling against the home.
    — Daniel Wolfe, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Director Robert Eggers delivers a taut, terrifying period piece with this tale of a 17th-century New England family expelled from their village and stalked by a witch — a movie that also put the then-fledgling studio A24 on the map.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of taut
Adjective
  • There’s also reassuring initial bite at the top of the travel, yet the setup doesn’t feel grabby or overly anxious in everyday driving situations.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Gong’s collection followed the emotional arc of unrequited love, from the first spark and the anxious wait to the social-media sleuthing, a date, and the sudden disappearance that follows.
    — Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of anxious

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Cite this Entry

“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tense

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tense

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