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
Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 22 May 2025
If the last interaction with someone was tense, even a neutral question can feel terse.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 21 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 cross examination was short and to the point with this expert witness — a change of pace from tense cross with the digital forensic witness Shanon Burgess the previous two days.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 22 May 2025
If the last interaction with someone was tense, even a neutral question can feel terse.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 21 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
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However, because the pool was shallow, Lisberg was less worried.—
Raven Brunner,
People.com,
25 May 2025
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While Herzig is hoping to win a million dollars, his guests are all worried about their own various fantasy teams, mostly competing for a few hundred bucks.—
David Hill,
Rolling Stone,
24 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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But the vote was not unanimous and left Councilman Kevin O’Neill feeling uneasy.—
Mike Hendricks,
Kansas City Star,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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So, it's designed to access tight gaps and under low furniture.—
Brenda Stolyar,
Wired News,
22 May 2025
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Autonomous vehicle technology has been hard to commercialize, with tight regulations and heavy investments forcing many companies to give up.—
Akash Sriram,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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The price of gold tends to move when markets get nervous – and so does the gold.—
Ken Roberts,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
-
That said, one moment in the final episode did make Brashear nervous.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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Nothing has officially happened yet, but the tension is disturbing with the consequences potentially devastating.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 May 2025
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That’s a quite disturbing possibility since AGI could wield such an act on a scale of immense magnitude and with globally adverse consequences.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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In the novel’s historical re-creation, is there an anxious note to Americans now losing themselves in accommodation?—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
23 May 2025
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An inaccurate diagnosis might lead to unnecessary or risky treatment, and a false positive can cause stress by requiring additional tests and anxious waits for results.—
Max Votek,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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One of the most unsettling moments at UFC 315 occurred when Bruno Silva left the Octagon after suffering a knockout loss to Marc-Andre Barriault on the early prelims of the fight card.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
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His Emilio is the protagonist and, although all the characters are given a shot at Death, Jacobs as Emilio is the most unsettling.—
Michelle F. Solomon,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 30 May. 2025.
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