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
James Laporta, CBS News, 11 June 2026
The mood was tense one fall morning in a village in Spain.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 11 June 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
The Scarborough Shoal, known in the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc and in China as Huangyan Dao, sits within Manila's exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, but Beijing has maintained a near-constant presence around the shoal after seizing de facto control in a tense 2012 standoff.
—James Laporta, CBS News, 11 June 2026
The mood was tense one fall morning in a village in Spain.
—Ari Daniel, NPR, 11 June 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
-
Anthropic is also worried that competitors could use Anthropic’s AI systems to turbocharge their own research — Anthropic uses its own AI systems to help create the next generation of its models.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
-
Brandon, who lives in Rockwell, North Carolina, is worried that new Medicaid work requirements starting next year could jeopardize her health coverage.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
These memories of his brief, sad human life are uneasy dreams that Lestat wakes from on his tour bus as the sun sets over the road to Toledo.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
-
On top of the tense, uneasy dynamic created by the duo’s pairing, the series is wrapped in a twisty web of peripheral problems.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
The 7th Assembly District produced one of the region’s tightest races.—
Evelyn Ronan,
Sacbee.com,
10 June 2026
-
Pelvic floor disorders can occur when these muscles and tissues are too weak or too tight or don’t facilitate the proper functioning of these organs for other reasons.—
Stacey Colino,
Time,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority sets the emissions rules under which the hotels operate, and those rules keep tightening.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
-
Kennywood, a nearly 130-year-old amusement park outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is tightening its summer chaperon policy as parks around the country experience violent brawls and unruly teen crowds heading into the heart of the season.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
JPMorgan's traders are getting nervous about the state of the current stock market.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
8 June 2026
-
Countless fans have taken to social media with similar issues, but some were too nervous to talk with WBZ-TV on camera for fear of it impacting their status.—
Mike Sullivan,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
There’s another, more disturbing chapter in the book about Jack Webb, the star of Dragnet.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
13 June 2026
-
Chestnut said the most disturbing part is that scammers were trying to take advantage of families in a vulnerable moment.—
Tori Mason,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Cleverly shot, the film made good use of its taut 74-minute running time (not counting commercials, of course).—
David Morgan,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
-
The dry version is taut, floral and mineral, all apple and meadow flower over a saline core.—
Paul Caputo,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Nayyar played the socially anxious Raj Koothrappali, particle astrophysicist and BFF to Leonard.—
Grace Gavilanes,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
-
By our nature, we journalists are anxious to report fresh news, including the outcomes of elections.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
