tenses

verb

present tense third-person singular of tense
as in tightens
to draw tight he tensed his muscles and attempted to lift the heavy appliance onto the truck

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 tenses Breezily elegant in execution and at times even Hitchcockian, The Girlfriend is a delicious thriller that tenses up with each new scene and revelation. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenses
tightens
Verb
  • In them, her prose tightens into something gleaming and aerodynamic.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Indeed, more college graduates are accepting unpaid internships than at any point in the last decade as the entry-level job market tightens around them.
    — Dana Stephenson, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of tightens

Browse Nearby Words

tenseness
tenses
tensing
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Cite this Entry

“Tenses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenses. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tenses

Nglish: Translation of tenses for Spanish Speakers

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