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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
The two sides spent the weekend in tense discussions over Paramount’s commitments to remain in California and over guarantees for its production levels. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Sep. 2026 My parents were tense and distracted while my siblings were scared. — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026
Verb
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 Relaxation exercises Stress-reduction techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and tensing and relaxing muscle groups can calm the nervous system and help patients feel more in control of their symptoms, says Moss. — Mark Marino, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 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
  • Millions of amateur athletes play tackle football each year, and as evidence mounts at the professional level of the dangers of CTE, parents are increasingly worried about their children going into the sport.
    — Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026
  • At the start of the novel, when the Koh children, Bo, DH, and Mido, are struggling in Korean schools after years of living abroad, their mother, Helen, gets worried.
    — Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • Upheavals so profound are not accomplished without loosing uneasy spirits that will haunt us for many days.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Silicon sampling troubles some polling traditionalists who are uneasy about ethical and other implications of simulating human responses.
    — W. Joseph Campbell, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • But she is locked in a tight race against Tejano musician Bobby Pulido.
    — Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Over a tight five-day timeline — as Marnus and Ilse finish school ahead of the December holidays, and the family prepares for their summer vacation — these various tensions impact one another in tacit but perhaps terminal ways.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of tight
Verb
  • An international mission in March documented escalating police violence, smear campaigns fueled by public officials, persistent impunity, legal and digital threats and the ruling party's efforts to tighten its grip over the media, CPJ said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
  • For medi-spa devotees, dermal fillers and skin-tightening treatments are available, too.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of tighten
Adjective
  • Gael is herself a little nervous, not only about the tension but about leaving Kayden.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Just after the sun melted into the sea a deer trotted by, followed by its more nervous baby.
    — David G. Allan, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • French President Emanuel Macron delivered a briefing to the candidates running to succeed him so disturbing that even the far-right National Rally’s leaders emerged denouncing Russian hybrid attacks.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
  • The 72-year-old Cuban widow filed for temporary custody shortly after the disturbing incident.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • Ocean Rainforest said no whales got tangled in taut lines during a two-year demo project.
    — Amy Taxin, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Away from Ali, Maro’s playful energy has a taut intensity, while Dalia, donning a sparkly outfit, lets off steam on club dance floors and in casual hookups.
    — Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of taut
Adjective
  • There were maybe a few extra news crews reporting on the show as people filed in and out, but if Sheeran hadn’t brought it up, the crowd did not seem like one particularly anxious about any elephant in the room.
    — Brendan Menapace, Billboard, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Dislodging these forces from the machinery of the state has been neither swift nor straightforward, and even those most anxious for change are hard-pressed to offer practical solutions.
    — Will Freeman, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of anxious

Browse Nearby Words

tens
tense
tensed
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Cite this Entry

“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tense

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tense

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