as in pressures
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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Recent Examples of tensions
Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
With commodities, when geopolitical tensions or inflation fears spike, investors often scramble for upside calls, making out-of-the-money options expensive relative to at-the-money options.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 13 May 2026
Its relations with India, marked by long-standing border tensions and disputes, illustrate the risks of mismanaging a nuclear neighbor.
—Yu Jie, Time, 13 May 2026
The escalating conflict reflects deeper tensions over Mexican sovereignty as Sheinbaum manages cartel violence, USMCA free trade renegotiation, and mounting pressure from the White House.
—Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
The Holy See has historically played a distinctive backchannel role in easing tensions between the two adversaries.
—Rick Jervis, USA Today, 13 May 2026
This made the proceedings of the meeting— a discussion of financial crisis in the midst of extended financial stability— a vivid illustration of the tensions inherent in prevailing views about money.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
See video … LISTEN Tune in for a look at what rising gas prices, Iran tensions, and shifting global oil alliances could mean for America’s energy future.
—FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
Farming more land than ever before, the brothers must work together to navigate the mounting pressures of climate change, equipment failures, and family tensions.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Noun
While the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago was widely regarded as a success, Trump’s victory that November reignited tensions between Chicago and Illinois Democratic leaders and the White House.
—Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2026
With commodities, when geopolitical tensions or inflation fears spike, investors often scramble for upside calls, making out-of-the-money options expensive relative to at-the-money options.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 13 May 2026
Its relations with India, marked by long-standing border tensions and disputes, illustrate the risks of mismanaging a nuclear neighbor.
—Yu Jie, Time, 13 May 2026
The escalating conflict reflects deeper tensions over Mexican sovereignty as Sheinbaum manages cartel violence, USMCA free trade renegotiation, and mounting pressure from the White House.
—Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
The Holy See has historically played a distinctive backchannel role in easing tensions between the two adversaries.
—Rick Jervis, USA Today, 13 May 2026
This made the proceedings of the meeting— a discussion of financial crisis in the midst of extended financial stability— a vivid illustration of the tensions inherent in prevailing views about money.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
See video … LISTEN Tune in for a look at what rising gas prices, Iran tensions, and shifting global oil alliances could mean for America’s energy future.
—FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
Farming more land than ever before, the brothers must work together to navigate the mounting pressures of climate change, equipment failures, and family tensions.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tensions
Noun
-
In 2020, as the fear of COVID-19 began to escalate and financial pressures mounted, Stewart, her husband and their three children packed their belongings into a small trailer attached to their 2015 Kia Optima and left for Tennessee in search of something better.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
-
Many voters turned to Trump to alleviate their economic pressures.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Win it, and suddenly the series tightens, the doubt creeps in and the path gets a lot more complicated for Orlando.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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There’s also Title Wave Books in Anchorage, which houses one of the most extensive collections of Indigenous American literature in the country, and Nā Mea Hawai'i, whose collection tightens its scope to Hawaiian culture and history.—
Kat Chen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The women are blithely dismissive of their tedious work, but their relationships fray under new stresses—including intrusive surveillance.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
Life's stresses seem to slow down with the rhythmic motion of a rocking chair.—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Monte Carlo Liquors & Steak House is a lone brick island in a large asphalt lot that sits just over 100 feet from the Central Avenue Bridge that stretches over the Rio Grande in Albuquerque.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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But moss phlox is a lower growing alternative that stretches from 1 to 2-feet wide and yields equally eye-catching flowers that carpet gardens with color in early spring.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
12 May 2026
Noun
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Using white blood cells from humans infected with hantavirus, the researchers identified antibodies—proteins in the immune system that can identify and neutralize pathogens—that may be able to combat different strains of the virus.—
Adam Kovac,
Scientific American,
12 May 2026
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Several hantavirus strains can cause the illness, also known as hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, according to Mayo Clinic.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Track when the first hospital system ties a disinfection robot fleet to a bond disclosure.—
Dara-Abasi Ita,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
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Now, a civil complaint filed May 1 by her brother on behalf of her estate ties her 2024 murder to an elaborate real estate fraud allegedly orchestrated by her estranged husband.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
13 May 2026
Verb
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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
Verb
-
The web of hospitality here binds residents of all ages together for a fulfilling and memory-rich lifestyle.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
16 May 2026
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This gel-like substance coats your gut and binds to cholesterol, preventing it from entering your bloodstream.—
Colleen Doherty,
Verywell Health,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tensions. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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