1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
was tense about the upcoming bar exam
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
a tense relationship existed between the two teachers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tight
stretched with little or no give
a tense rope
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Tiara Ataii, Vulture, 24 June 2025
An immigration raid at a car wash in Bell on Friday sparked a tense scene and hours of protests.
—Karim Doumar, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025
Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2025
Moore briefly smiled, may have tensed her jaw and uttered one word to the person next to her, according to a lip-reader hired by the Daily Mail to decipher her reaction.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Adjective
What emerges is a study of gender relations among the urban middle class that reveals the tense dynamics between these supposedly liberal sets of couples.
—Tiara Ataii, Vulture, 24 June 2025
An immigration raid at a car wash in Bell on Friday sparked a tense scene and hours of protests.
—Karim Doumar, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2025
Verb
Sigmon’s arms briefly tensed when he was shot, and the target was blasted off his chest.
—Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2025
Moore briefly smiled, may have tensed her jaw and uttered one word to the person next to her, according to a lip-reader hired by the Daily Mail to decipher her reaction.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
-
And although several college refs are famous and infamous within certain fan bases and leagues, college leaders are worried about backlash toward officials going any further.—
Chris Vannini,
New York Times,
18 June 2025
-
This is perhaps the most important reason everyone should be so worried about the Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill.—
Paul Weinstein Jr,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
Adjective
-
Edan Lui of Hong Kong boy band Mirror will also make his Korean drama debut in the new season, joining the cast in a role that pairs him in an uneasy alliance with Kim Do-gi.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
25 June 2025
-
Repeatedly returning to themes of globalization and alienation, the 55-year-old director has meticulously chronicled his country’s uneasy plunge into the 21st century as rampant industrialization risks deadening those left behind.—
Tim Grierson,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
The timeline is tight—most growth drivers need to materialize before 2028—but the groundwork is established.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
-
Steer clear of harsh chemicals and tight hairstyles to prevent further hair loss.—
Health,
Health,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
Last year, the Department of the Interior tightened their requirements for investigating safety reports.—
Laken Brooks,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
-
The Trump Card would also arrive as many countries once favored by the wealthy — including Spain, Portugal and Italy — are tightening their investment-visa programs amid populist opposition and political backlash.—
Robert Frank,
CNBC,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
After a decade of mayhem, property destruction, and nervous soldiers firing into a crowd, the rebellion broke into gunfire between British regulars and American militia at Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775.—
Dan McLaughlin,
National Review,
17 June 2025
-
Around liberal America, these were the questions asked with a nervous laugh at dinner parties, in office small talk, on university campuses.—
Carlo Versano,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 June 2025
Adjective
-
Content moderators are workers who remove disturbing content from social media—data which is often then used to train AI systems like ChatGPT or Facebook’s algorithms.—
Billy Perrigo,
Time,
19 June 2025
-
These stories reveal a disturbing truth: AI can automate and amplify existing biases, leading to real-world injustice.—
Sajal Singh,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Adjective
-
How Benson Boone pays tribute to rock history on new album Boone has said that these 10 songs, which clock in at taut 30 minutes, were inspired by Bruce Springsteen.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
22 June 2025
-
He’s had a particularly taut tightrope to walk on Medicaid, called Medi-Cal in California.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
But perhaps the most persuasive testimony came from Mrs. Hall herself, who embodied the defense’s portrait of a loyal, unsuspecting wife, home alone and anxious over her husband’s mysterious disappearance.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
27 June 2025
-
The king, perhaps, was anxious to maintain his control over the nuts as a diplomatic resource—a means of impressing important dignitaries.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share