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
Julia Eskins, Outside, 22 Sep. 2025
Kelce and Reid have had tense moments during games before, notably during the 2024 Super Bowl.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
Devon Henderson, Oc Register, 25 July 2025
Keeping in the same position for a long period of time, especially if cramped or uncomfortable, can also lead to muscles tensing up and feeling tight.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Adjective
Similarly, less-tense hamstrings can better support a proper deadlift hip hinge.
—Julia Eskins, Outside, 22 Sep. 2025
Kelce and Reid have had tense moments during games before, notably during the 2024 Super Bowl.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
Taylor Heinicke visibly tensed the moment the ball left his fingers.
—Devon Henderson, Oc Register, 25 July 2025
Keeping in the same position for a long period of time, especially if cramped or uncomfortable, can also lead to muscles tensing up and feeling tight.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
-
The man, a legal researcher who lives legally in the United States, is worried he might be targeted by the federal government for speaking freely.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
-
As the day progressed though, Marsh became worried again.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
All that should have spelled relief to H-1B workers and their corporate sponsors, but Xiao Wang, chief executive of the immigration services firm Boundless Immigration, said the lack of detail left many unanswered questions – and his clients uneasy.—
Dian Zhang,
USA Today,
24 Sep. 2025
-
If uneasy, history may provide equal insights with economics.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Marcela closed her lips tight and gently shook her head.—
Zuzana Říhová,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
-
The roughly five-minute sequence is shot in tight close-up on Day-Lewis, who oscillates between anger, pain and gleeful contempt.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But there will be a lot of nervous folks in New England hoping Bregman's stay in Boston extends past the one-year mark.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Others were forced into the car, nervous at the prospect of 48 phone-free hours filled with talk about feelings.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Pros Leaf raking is quiet, so there are no time constraints; Collecting leaves manually not only avoids disturbing neighbors or wildlife, is also does not cause air pollution.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Sep. 2025
-
The attack adds to a disturbing pattern of violence targeting religious communities across the United States, including the recent mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis that killed two children and injured 17 others.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The action is taut, the stakes are clear, and Kirk never misses a chance to remind us that all of these are just regular people who’ve crossed paths in a dark place.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
24 Sep. 2025
-
In one of the film’s tautest sequences, they’re caught swimming in a neighbor’s pool by a caretaker (Damien Bonnard), and Sana must decide whether to pay off the man to keep his silence.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
In the cold and austere German winter (a far cry from Dakar’s physical and cultural warmth), an anxious Nourou acts up outside a hotel and is accosted by a Polish security guard, setting off a minor chain reaction in which Maja intervenes on his behalf, much to his chagrin.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Right now, CEOs are both bullish and anxious.—
Mike Hoffman,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The extent to which the entire AI boom is backstopped by Nvidia’s cash isn’t easy to answer precisely, which is also one of the unsettling things about it.—
Jeremy Kahn,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Some experiences were unsettling.—
Soph Warnes,
CNN Money,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 30 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share