tense 1 of 3

adjective

ˈten(t)s How to pronounce tense (audio)
Definition of tensenext
1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty was tense about the upcoming bar exam

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2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings a tense relationship existed between the two teachers

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3
as in tight
stretched with little or no give a tense rope

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tense

2 of 3

verb (1)

as in to tighten
to draw tight he tensed his muscles and attempted to lift the heavy appliance onto the truck

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tenses

3 of 3

verb (2)

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

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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
Adjective
Grynkewich's remarks had followed a tense weekend between Russia and Ukraine, with Moscow launching fresh strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure despite diplomatic efforts to reduce hostilities. — Emma Bussey, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 After all, most of The Social Reckoning is people in suits having tense conversations, which is hardly blockbuster fare. — Andrew McGowan, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
Ewing has recognized his shoulders tensing and his upper body going stiff. — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 21 June 2026 Be a good child, do what they’re told, be the best child, a tremble in their hands, say nothing, tensed for the knock on the door. — Literary Hub, 17 June 2026
Verb
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 See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
  1. worried
  2. uneasy
  3. tight
  4. tighten
  5. nervous
  6. disturbing
  7. taut
  8. anxious
Adjective
  • For my worried patient, that study was not a countdown clock on his chance to become a dad.
    — Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
  • In the Vatican, some pilgrims were worried, hopeful and a little disappointed.
    — Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • An uneasy quiet took over the boat as customers waited for another catch.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Republican candidates are facing voters uneasy, even angry about high prices and an unpopular war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • Lee said that under tight budgets and schedules, those scenes would normally have had to be dropped.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • But Cook also warned on that call that tight supply would weigh on iPhone, Mac, and iPad sales in the months ahead.
    — Fernanda Tronco, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of tight
Verb
  • Part of Borromeo’s mandate was to tighten the product assortment, boost the company’s profitability and return it back to its foundational values and DNA.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Budgets have tightened and commissioners have retreated to the familiar — backing low-cost dramas and safe-bet crime formats.
    — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of tighten
Adjective
  • Any agency whose main product is activity rather than thinking should be very nervous right now; frankly, some of them should have been nervous years ago.
    — Angelica Kopec, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Consumers in the country, nervous about the shaky economy, are loading up on gold jewelry, bars and coins.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • Even when the metaphor is painfully on the nose, the film’s most disturbing images are more than their dramatic limitations and a whale is still an astonishing place to spend a movie.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026
  • When her aunt Helena and paralyzed grandmother Regina arrive, the fragile boundaries between everyday life, ancestral superstition and Trina’s increasingly disturbing nightmares begin to collapse.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • The back of the Torcal hints at last year’s EXP 15 Concept, while the Torcal’s prodigious output is alluded to through the taut and muscular haunches.
    — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Ocean Rainforest said no whales got tangled in taut lines during a two-year demo project.
    — Amy Taxin, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of taut
Adjective
  • An adorable pup in Louisiana was anxious to swim into rising Gulf of Mexico waters, doing a stationary doggie paddle while being carried through a flood during Hurricane Isaias.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Down at Advanced Base Camp on the Tibetan side, the anxious Indian team could see two headlamps light up their descent high on the mountain.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of anxious

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Cite this Entry

“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tense

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tense

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