tensions 1 of 2

plural of tension
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tensions

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of tension

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 tensions
Noun
Other royal commentators have suggested that while tensions remain, the extent of any current disagreement between father and son has not been publicly confirmed. Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 24 June 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, 24 June 2026 Houston has relented, however, following the council’s ouster of Commissioner Omar Farmer, an outspoken police critic, and a cooling-off of tensions between Houston and Commissioner Ricardo Garcia-Acosta, the current chair of the watchdog body. Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 24 June 2026 Many historians regard it as evidence of tensions within a rapidly expanding colonial society rather than as an early movement for democratic independence. Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 June 2026 Beijing's tensions with Tokyo also have increased since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi last year suggested the country's military could get involved if China takes action against Taiwan. ABC News, 24 June 2026 The bottom line Geopolitical tensions, overseas conflicts, inflation, and the Federal Reserve's interpretation of all three can impact mortgage rates this July. Matt Richardson, CBS News, 24 June 2026 But geopolitical uncertainty and simmering trade tensions remain the most significant headwind, Fan told CNBC's Emily Chan on Monday. Anniek Bao, CNBC, 24 June 2026 The New York Times, meanwhile, reports that government officials have escalated their rhetoric against Anthropic over the weekend and that tensions between the two parties are expected to persist in the near future. John Kell, Fortune, 17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tensions
Noun
  • External pressures are brewing as the Leo moon moves to clash with Mars.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 18 June 2026
  • The property tax rebellion is part of a broader push on both the right and left to give tax exemptions to seniors, workers who rely on tips, and the bottom 50% of the country to address cost-of-living pressures.
    Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN Money, 18 June 2026
Verb
  • This formula tightens skin and is easy to wear without slipping or coming off.
    Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 22 June 2026
  • One night, passengers are having a ball on the dance floor when a mysterious passenger tightens a nearby metal cable.
    Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Noun
  • The Big 12 stresses that Judge Curry’s ruling pertains to the NCAA’s enforcement of an NCAA bylaw that is not at issue in the Big 12’s case.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 15 June 2026
  • According to a new paper, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, accumulative stresses in the Earth’s crust in California are higher today than at any point over the last 1,000 years, raising concerns over the potential for a massive rupture in the Los Angeles region.
    Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • The primary to represent the upstate New York district, which stretches from the Canadian border to straddling the northern Albany suburbs, became increasingly bitter as Constantino and Smullen threatened legal action against each other over claims made during the campaign.
    Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 24 June 2026
  • The impact stretches beyond North Park.
    Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 23 June 2026
Noun
  • With the country cash-strapped, the Arab Spring of 2011 set off a wave of mass migration into Europe, which coincided with the widespread perception that the extra numbers were placing further strains on already creaking resources of jobs, housing and healthcare.
    Alexander Smith, NBC news, 23 June 2026
  • Players might also take scissors to their socks as a solution to ward off cramping or reduce muscle strains and fatigue during a grueling 90-minute game.
    Alex Connor, USA Today, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • And while average state surpluses over the past decade have surpassed that number many times over, Connecticut’s budget is subject to a spending cap that ties its own growth to household income and inflation.
    Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 19 June 2026
  • The phrase ties together themes found throughout the wall, including music, celebration and community.
    J.M. Banks June 18, Kansas City Star, 18 June 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
Verb
  • Phytic acid binds directly to HDAC3 and turns on its activity.
    Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2026
  • Schneider said the memorandum apparently binds the United States, Iran and their allies but makes no mention of nonstate actors Iran supports like Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis.
    Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 18 June 2026

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“Tensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tensions. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

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