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
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Recent Examples of tense
The Denver Post, Denver Post, 10 May 2025
The film is described as a tense and gritty story revolving around two brothers who pursue the American Dream—only to become entangled in a scheme that turns out to be too good to be true.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 9 May 2025
Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Feb. 2025
Polished in its visuals but tensed from the get-go by a sinister electronic score, melding procedural and a shockingly incomprehensible reality, the suspense thriller builds as a potent mixture where the past also weighs heavily, in personal, historical and fantasy terms.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Adjective
The late drama escalates what had already been a tense showdown between the legislature and a swath of senior Democratic politicians and the tech industry.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 10 May 2025
The film is described as a tense and gritty story revolving around two brothers who pursue the American Dream—only to become entangled in a scheme that turns out to be too good to be true.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 9 May 2025
Verb
Once in a while, a steer will break loose, causing the presenters to tense up.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Feb. 2025
Polished in its visuals but tensed from the get-go by a sinister electronic score, melding procedural and a shockingly incomprehensible reality, the suspense thriller builds as a potent mixture where the past also weighs heavily, in personal, historical and fantasy terms.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
-
However, the bull case for the current market environment is that investors are now less worried about a U.S. recession and are swapping out defensive bond positions in hopes of finding upside appreciation in the stock market.—
Jesse Pound,
CNBC,
13 May 2025
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Nearly two-thirds (63%) are worried about global warming and 37% are not.—
Robert G. Eccles,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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Today, hydrogen bombs have replaced atom bombs in most arsenals, creating a world of uneasy standoffs among nuclear foes.—
William J. Broad,
New York Times,
19 May 2025
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With the rage virus still raging, a group of survivors, including a husband and wife played by Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, lives in uneasy isolation on a fortified island — until one of them crosses the causeway into whatever’s left of the mainland.—
Greg Braxton,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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Construction budgets will also increase if tighter immigration policies result in labor shortages.—
Ted Reed,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2025
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And don’t even think about trying to change clothes in a tight plane bathroom.—
Rylee Johnston,
Travel + Leisure,
10 May 2025
Verb
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One set of local institutions that hasn’t had to tighten its belt this year?—
Mark Schneider,
National Review,
12 May 2025
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Unfortunately, tightening the hinge screws won't be enough to correct this problem.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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The Trump administration became increasingly nervous at the prospect of a major war erupting in one of the most populous places on the planet.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2025
-
A little nervous at first, Harry does well calling the boat in.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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Proponents have long invoked civil rights language to promote vouchers, a disturbing rhetorical choice given vouchers originated as a tool for southern white parents to avoid the Supreme Court's desegregation order in Brown v. Board of Education.—
Kevin Sabet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
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Actress Isabella Rossellini reflects on the film’s disturbing material and autobiographical elements while resisting reductive interpretations.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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Almost 60 years later, with these two worlds living side by side, Creede is a taut microcosm of current national divisions.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
13 May 2025
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Who would tap a director unproven on a feature level to direct a taut action thriller movie with a $150 million budget?—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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This productivity decline stems from several factors: Workplace morale deteriorates Remaining employees absorb additional responsibilities Teams become anxious about future job security When employees question whether their leaders truly value them, their enthusiasm and dedication suffer.—
Caroline Castrillon,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
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Nobel laureates, such as MIT’s Daron Acemoglu, are worried about its capacity to worsen income inequalities, and ordinary American workers are anxious about AI’s impact on jobs.—
Bhaskar Chakravorti,
Harvard Business Review,
8 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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