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
Leia Mendoza, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
The tense scenes unfolded late Wednesday night along 14th Street Northwest just days after President Donald Trump announced a federal takeover of Washington, D.C.’s police in an effort to crack down on crime.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Cheyenne Buckingham, SELF, 13 May 2025
As the faith leaders arrived and asked their group to take a knee and pray on the building’s steps, Department of Homeland Security officers trained pepper-ball guns on clergy members, and National Guard members tensed their riot shields.
—Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Adjective
After a tense introduction, Laura becomes convinced Cherry is hiding something.
—Leia Mendoza, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025
The tense scenes unfolded late Wednesday night along 14th Street Northwest just days after President Donald Trump announced a federal takeover of Washington, D.C.’s police in an effort to crack down on crime.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
Pelvic tension So many things can cause your pelvic floor muscles to tense up.
—Cheyenne Buckingham, SELF, 13 May 2025
As the faith leaders arrived and asked their group to take a knee and pray on the building’s steps, Department of Homeland Security officers trained pepper-ball guns on clergy members, and National Guard members tensed their riot shields.
—Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
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Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, however, didn’t necessarily appear worried when asked what joint practices taught him about his cornerbacks.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
17 Aug. 2025
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Many were worried about stripping precipitation out of a cloud and robbing people downstream of rain.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The United States and China have settled into a steady state of pragmatic, if uneasy, détente.—
Phil Mattingly,
CNN Money,
13 Aug. 2025
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Reading Zeller’s book, I was reminded that there is a kind of uneasy fellowship in this condition—a vast, involuntary community of people mapping out their lives between attacks, haunted by uncertainty but sustained in part by accounts like his.—
Jerome Groopman,
New Yorker,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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When culture starts performing alignment instead of living it, most companies reach for fixes: tighter messaging, new values, more playbooks.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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This one even comes with a synthetic cork cap that creates a tight seal and can be washed and reused along with the bottle.—
Emily Farris,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But as Trump appears to ignore court decisions and high-level administration officials are suggesting suspending the writ of habeas corpus, Bolick is nervous the United States is heading toward authoritarianism.—
Amanda Luberto,
AZCentral.com,
13 Aug. 2025
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Students, meanwhile, often get nervous about asking for clarification or diving deeper into a topic in front of their peers.—
Shelbie Witte,
The Conversation,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
To my mind, this is the most disturbing part of the retractions saga: the chaos, uncertainty, disrespect, and bullying, devoid of any underlying moral or philosophical reasoning.—
Elizabeth Kaye Cook
August 6,
Literary Hub,
6 Aug. 2025
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Her dad, Taylor finds her art to be disturbing, but nonetheless harmless.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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His hair is bound in a taut knot, a cape of ti leaves in muted green draped over his broad shoulders.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
1 Aug. 2025
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On the defensive side, new defensive coordinator Danny Collins will try to carry over his success as safeties coach to an entire side of the ball, while maintaining a standard for taut units that Corey Hetherman and Joe Rossi set before him.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
26 July 2025
Adjective
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The vices of deficiency, such as being anxious, agitated, impatient, inattentive, and rash, are common everyday experiences.—
Mary Crossan,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
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Orange County students are returning to class this month as districts navigate an anxious back-to-school season shaped by immigration raids over the summer and the possibility that attendance drops could cut into school funding.—
Hanna Kang,
Oc Register,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Their story was both deeply familiar and powerfully unsettling.—
Sam Wolson,
New Yorker,
7 Aug. 2025
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The novel is unsettling but thrilling, and a classic work that has stood the test of time.—
Robert English,
EW.com,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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