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
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Recent Examples of tense
Staff, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Denver Broncos at New England Patriots, Week 17 A rematch of a snowy, tense AFC championship game.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 14 May 2026
Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
Limited rib mobility interferes with the ability to breathe deeply, triggering your body’s stress response, which increases muscle tensing as a guarding mechanism.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 26 Nov. 2025
While biting, their jaw muscles tensed to squeeze venom into their meal.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Adjective
Fox News Digital reporting captures this tense cultural moment, illustrating the mixed public sentiment and skepticism surrounding AI's growing footprint in daily life.
—Staff, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Denver Broncos at New England Patriots, Week 17 A rematch of a snowy, tense AFC championship game.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 14 May 2026
Verb
Everyone in the barber shop flinched at the sound and tensed their shoulders.
—Keri Heath, Austin American Statesman, 5 Mar. 2026
Limited rib mobility interferes with the ability to breathe deeply, triggering your body’s stress response, which increases muscle tensing as a guarding mechanism.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 15 Feb. 2026
Verb
The officer took her to the ground and then tried cuffing Tejeras, who tensed up so much, the officer’s body camera was knocked to the ground, according to the report.
—David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 26 Nov. 2025
While biting, their jaw muscles tensed to squeeze venom into their meal.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
-
Reformers were worried that putting more money into the hands of local school districts, without oversight to ensure that it was being spent effectively, would lead to its diversion into administration and more generous union contracts rather than hands-on instruction for kids who needed it most.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
-
Yu said that, as China has strengthened its social safety net, people are less worried about having to rely on others.—
Janis Mackey Frayer,
NBC news,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Nowhere is this truer than in Russia, a nation marked by a long history of political repression alongside extraordinary literary brilliance, a rare and uneasy combination.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
Two women form an uneasy alliance to stop the killer — but their own motives end up playing a role in what happens next.—
Diya Chacko,
Oc Register,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
But as the season has progressed and the pressure has increased, their margins of victory have become tighter.—
Dean Jones,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
-
Cornyn’s legislation comes as the four-term senator is locked in a tight GOP primary contest against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Dwindling enrollment tightened the budget by $89 million halfway through this school year when the purse was already $100 million thinner than last school year.—
Natalie La Roche Pietri,
Miami Herald,
16 May 2026
-
The best accommodations don’t last on the market for long, and by the time peak summer rolls around, availability tightens fast.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Parking, long a challenge, has tightened as multiple blocks get redeveloped.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
18 May 2026
-
Dwindling enrollment tightened the budget by $89 million halfway through this school year when the purse was already $100 million thinner than last school year.—
Natalie La Roche Pietri,
Miami Herald,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Altman seemed slightly nervous as the cross-examination got underway.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
12 May 2026
-
Suddenly, and very publicly, Russian officials appeared nervous, afraid that their parade would be spoiled.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
There’s something disturbing about watching these already commonplace delusions about ChatGPT — Your particular version has a soul!—
Vulture,
Vulture,
17 May 2026
-
But as dubious therapies and unsettling postcolonial rituals blur the line between wellness and manipulation, Alexa begins uncovering the disturbing forces hidden beneath the retreat’s seductive façade.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Dombrowski decided to retain Thomson after a taut, four-game series defeat to the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers last October.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Shape dough into two taut balls.—
Emily Teel,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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