as in pressure
the burden on one's emotional or mental well-being created by demands on one's time
under a lot of tension right now about her decision not to go to college
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tension
ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2025
Between the bottled beers and canapés, however, there was little sign of the brewing tensions behind the scenes.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
Julia Musto, Fox News, 2 Jan. 2022
Will tension between hawks and doves be the defining characteristic of Juntos going forward?
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 14 Nov. 2021
See All Example Sentences for tension
Noun
However, so far, Trump has not acknowledged this tension.
—ArsTechnica, 24 Apr. 2025
Between the bottled beers and canapés, however, there was little sign of the brewing tensions behind the scenes.
—Alex Kalinauckas, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
The team will separate and individually tension each of the five sunshield layers, stretching them into their final shape.
—Julia Musto, Fox News, 2 Jan. 2022
Will tension between hawks and doves be the defining characteristic of Juntos going forward?
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 14 Nov. 2021
See All Example Sentences for tension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tension
Noun
-
The Fed's most potent weapon against inflation is to ratchet up or maintain higher interest rates, because an increase in borrowing costs slows economic demand, which eases inflationary pressures.—
Alain Sherter,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2025
-
After wriggling away from pressure, Watkins’ strike deflected off Schar and past Nick Pope in goal.—
Jacob Tanswell,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Sigmon’s arms briefly tensed when he was shot, and the target was blasted off his chest.—
Jeffrey Collins,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2025
-
Moore briefly smiled, may have tensed her jaw and uttered one word to the person next to her, according to a lip-reader hired by the Daily Mail to decipher her reaction.—
Martha Ross,
The Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Angela, having ditched her hoodie-centric wardrobe to transform into a beaming bride, also strives to honor the seriousness of the occasion—though a secret she’s been carrying makes a royal mess of the proceedings, and opens stress cracks in the relationships of both couples.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Mexico, by contrast, saw its consumer stress levels up 1.7 percent in the first quarter compared with the fourth quarter of last year, while French shoppers evinced 4 percent higher stress levels from quarter to quarter.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Yet, risks of a global economic downturn still threaten the sector, which could cause all consumers to tighten their purse strings.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Texas bills would tighten uncertified teacher rules A provision in Texas House Bill 2 would bar school districts from employing teachers without certifications, and give them extra money to certify any teachers who aren’t already certified.—
Silas Allen,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
By monitoring competitive shifts, watching for consumer strain and adjusting in real time, retail teams strike the right balance between price and profitability—while staying aligned with customer expectations.—
Lauren Parker,
Sourcing Journal,
29 Apr. 2025
-
Multinational corporations are feeling the strain as well.—
Mohammed Soliman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tension. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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