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
Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
If geopolitical tensions continue to ease and crude remains below its recent war spike, the market can begin to price in a better environment for freight, supply chain costs, and consumer purchasing power.
—Tony Zhang, CNBC, 22 Apr. 2026
Well, that won’t do, and Kyra soon embarks on a mission to install the sign, one that draws in every member of the community board while exposing the tensions simmering just below Vernon Point’s dignified facade.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026
Shifting loyalties, complicated emotions, and unexpected challenges force their circle to confront difficult truths, as new opportunities and past tensions collide—raising the stakes and setting the stage for lasting consequences.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
Cook navigated Apple through the company’s tensions with China, the rise of video streaming services, tariffs, antitrust lawsuits and more.
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Geopolitical tensions, fluctuating energy prices and concerns about consumer debt levels are all contributing to a more fragile economic outlook.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
But even as mediators worked for peace, tensions simmered.
—ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
As Greg attempts to win Jack's approval, comedic missteps happen and tensions rise.
—Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
The move threatens to raise tensions between regional adversaries in a country that is still recovering from a civil war that stymied attempts to liberalize one of Africa’s biggest economies.
—Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 22 Apr. 2026
If geopolitical tensions continue to ease and crude remains below its recent war spike, the market can begin to price in a better environment for freight, supply chain costs, and consumer purchasing power.
—Tony Zhang, CNBC, 22 Apr. 2026
Well, that won’t do, and Kyra soon embarks on a mission to install the sign, one that draws in every member of the community board while exposing the tensions simmering just below Vernon Point’s dignified facade.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026
Shifting loyalties, complicated emotions, and unexpected challenges force their circle to confront difficult truths, as new opportunities and past tensions collide—raising the stakes and setting the stage for lasting consequences.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026
Cook navigated Apple through the company’s tensions with China, the rise of video streaming services, tariffs, antitrust lawsuits and more.
—Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
Geopolitical tensions, fluctuating energy prices and concerns about consumer debt levels are all contributing to a more fragile economic outlook.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
But even as mediators worked for peace, tensions simmered.
—ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
As Greg attempts to win Jack's approval, comedic missteps happen and tensions rise.
—Yamillah Hurtado, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tensions
Noun
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His quick steps can cause tackles to lose their balance, and his burst to turn pressures into sacks is tremendous.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
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China appears to be stuck in a deflationary trap, with even the pressures sparked by the Iran war failing to boost prices.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Transits through the waterway have reduced to a trickle over seven weeks of war in the Persian Gulf, as Iran tightens control in retaliation for US and Israeli strikes.—
Weilun Soon,
Bloomberg,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The Retinal ReSculpt Body Treatment dramatically lifts, firms, and tightens sagging, crepey skin and smooths the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Add to that the stresses of living in a small environment with other people and trying to accomplish a lot of tasks in a habitat that is isolated and dangerous.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Tax Day is Wednesday, April 15, and Krispy Kreme wants to help consumers deal with the stresses of filing taxes.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After dinner, rum-centric cocktails are served up nightly with vibey tunes and a view of the Grove that stretches all the way to the Bay.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Five are anchored in Democratic-heavy northern Virginia, including one shaped like a lobster that stretches into Republican-leaning rural areas.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The agency reported 7,349 cases of mpox from both strains in California since 2022.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The Omicron variant first popped up in 2021 with 32 mutations to the virus and began replacing prior strains — Cicada has around 70 mutations compared to the variants used in the 2025-26 vaccines, the CDC says.—
Eva Flowe
April 20,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The 11 home runs in March/April ties Paul Kornerko for the most by a White Sox player in those months.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
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The decision to name both cubs after rangers ties the zoo’s conservation breeding program to the front-line work of keeping Sumatran tigers alive in the wild.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 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
-
These ragtag misfits, who are all incredibly talented and who are in desperate need of each other, and the glue that binds them together is the music and the city.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
23 Apr. 2026
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The technique uses a special solvent called ethaline that selectively binds different metals at different voltages, allowing precise separation.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tensions. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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