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
Matt Richardson, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
One year later, Tonina and Tajana try to reconcile for their mother’s birthday, but tensions resurface.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
Lingering geopolitical tensions and a potential toll system in the strait could add new costs.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Since he was sworn in for his second term, tensions between the North American trading partners put the future of the agreement in a state of flux.
—Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 8 Apr. 2026
But murmurs of laughter broke out a few times when justices noted constitutional tensions in the case.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
The company had also recently staged a high-profile Cybertruck delivery event in Dubai’s Al Marmoom desert, handing over 63 vehicles in January, just weeks before tensions escalated.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026
The mother and father have four young children, and the story unfolds primarily through the youngest of the four, whose innocence contrasts the growing tensions within the household.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2026
Trump may soon be carrying these tensions to Beijing, though talks scheduled for the end of March were postponed.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
Geopolitical tensions and overseas conflicts, meanwhile, have caused significant market disruptions and caused interest rates to become more volatile.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
One year later, Tonina and Tajana try to reconcile for their mother’s birthday, but tensions resurface.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026
Lingering geopolitical tensions and a potential toll system in the strait could add new costs.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 8 Apr. 2026
Since he was sworn in for his second term, tensions between the North American trading partners put the future of the agreement in a state of flux.
—Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 8 Apr. 2026
But murmurs of laughter broke out a few times when justices noted constitutional tensions in the case.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
The company had also recently staged a high-profile Cybertruck delivery event in Dubai’s Al Marmoom desert, handing over 63 vehicles in January, just weeks before tensions escalated.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026
The mother and father have four young children, and the story unfolds primarily through the youngest of the four, whose innocence contrasts the growing tensions within the household.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2026
Trump may soon be carrying these tensions to Beijing, though talks scheduled for the end of March were postponed.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tensions
Noun
-
The layoffs add to Hollywood’s ongoing workforce reductions, with Sony Pictures also announcing significant cuts as media companies restructure amid industrywide pressures.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
That control over music concert ticketing means Ticketmaster pressures venues to charge high fees without fear that venues will switch to other providers, state attorneys general suing the company allege.—
Leah Nylen,
Bloomberg,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The move further tightens the Nitaqat system, which has imposed quotas for Saudi hires since 2011.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
As climate change tightens its grip over the Arctic, deeper layers of permafrost are activating in this way.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To achieve such a high curvature, the team took advantage of differences in the contraction and expansion of individual layers caused by physical stresses in the material resulting from the fabrication process.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Such moments hint at comedy, but Borgli plays them humorlessly, as authentic stresses and additional wedges driving the couple apart.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The byway stretches over 49 miles from Idaho Springs to Bergen Park and is the highest paved road in North America, offering panoramic views of the Continental Divide.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Built in 1949, this structure stretches more than a third of a mile over the Missouri River.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Because rotational injuries such as oblique strains are less commonly sustained while running, Roberts still buys into the theory that the injury originated on the check swing.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Apr. 2026
-
These nursery best sellers were intended to give young readers a grounding in emerging strains of scientific thought.—
Kathryn Hughes,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An abduction sequence ties the audience’s nerves in knots with cinematographer Isaac Bauman’s athletic tracking shot loping up the stairs to Margot’s apartment accompanied by Gavin Brivik’s pulse-hammering score.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The round, sesame-seeded bread is layered with Italian deli meats, cheeses and a tangy olive salad that ties everything together.—
Lauren Schuster,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 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
-
In The Long Game, Shane and Ilya are forced to confront their fears and insecurities — wrestling with codependency, depression, and self-perception — while trying to maintain the love that binds them.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
8 Apr. 2026
-
The recluse toxin binds to the surface of cells and scoots along it like a lawn mower, clipping the heads off molecules on this surface.—
Matthew Cordes,
The Conversation,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tensions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tensions. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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