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
as in tightening
to draw tight
he tensed his muscles and attempted to lift the heavy appliance onto the truck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of tense
Hannah Hughes, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Many of the movie’s best moments center not on Duse’s stage projects but on her often tense personal relationships.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 18 July 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
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Sport mode is where things get serious, tensing the car’s muscles and unleashing the entire prairie of horses.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Adjective
The first quarter ended in a tie of 0-0 with a tense back-and-forth between the two teams.
—Hannah Hughes, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Many of the movie’s best moments center not on Duse’s stage projects but on her often tense personal relationships.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
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
Verb
Seemingly immediately, your heart will begin racing and your muscles will start tensing.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Sport mode is where things get serious, tensing the car’s muscles and unleashing the entire prairie of horses.
—Tim Pitt, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
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Small business owners, who rely on social media to promote and sell their products, were especially worried with a busy festive season looming.—
Nir Kshetri,
The Conversation,
14 Sep. 2025
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Parents are worried not just about getting food on the table, but whether that food is good for their kids.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Handing spending power to a piece of software makes people uneasy.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
An uneasy calm, after two nights of chaos that saw tens of thousands of people pour out into the streets to vent their fury, setting fire to parliament and the Supreme Court – key symbols of state – and clashing with the government forces sent to keep them under control.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Credit spreads are at their tightest in about 20 years, meaning there is little difference in yields between corporate bonds compared to government bonds.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
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The project, created under tight deadlines and with hobby-grade parts, is now on track for wider military use.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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FurHaven Calming Cuddler Donut Pet Bed A fluffy bed that surrounds your dog with warmth can be great for relieving anxiety and calming down a nervous pet.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
10 Sep. 2025
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Even with the mixed indications for winter golf, course owners are nervous, NCGOA CEO Jay Karen said on a video call.—
Brendan Coffey,
Sportico.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Fortunately, there are straightforward ways to reduce your chances of being confronted with violent or disturbing videos.—
Annie Margaret,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
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Celebrating the assassination of a 31 year old father of two young kids is disturbing; that teachers would be among those who do so is completely unacceptable.—
Amy DeLaura,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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His skin was taut with strength; his rump came right off his back like his father’s.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Aug. 2025
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The Rainmaker is a taut thriller driven by relentless cynicism toward the state of the legal profession and simmering rage at the state of the health insurance industry.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Research in attachment theory tells us that people with anxious attachment tendencies often monitor signs of availability and care in their partners.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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While all of his children enjoy supporting him at his fights, María is the one who gets the most anxious, according to Canelo.—
Nasha Smith,
PEOPLE,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This may be subtle but often unsettling in nature.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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For a story that could be this dark, what a gift to be able to recount some of these things, but with a tone that doesn’t need to be wildly investigative and uncomfortable and unsettling.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
13 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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