1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
was tense about the upcoming bar exam
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings
a tense relationship existed between the two teachers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tight
stretched with little or no give
a tense rope
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tense
Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2025
Once close family members, interactions between Lund and Carol Mitchell became increasingly tense in the months following her brother Rod Mitchell’s death, Lund explained.
—Ingrid Harbo, Twin Cities, 17 July 2025
Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Losing one-goal leads had threatened to become a theme against Dallas, but a fast start saw the Stars begin to tense up, instead of the other way ’round.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Adjective
The shot across the bow of the WNBA came amid tense talks around their new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for 2026 and beyond.
Plum, who was sitting next to New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, made an odd revelation about the decision to wear the shirts.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2025
Once close family members, interactions between Lund and Carol Mitchell became increasingly tense in the months following her brother Rod Mitchell’s death, Lund explained.
—Ingrid Harbo, Twin Cities, 17 July 2025
Verb
Chronic impacts of emotional abuse can include anxiety, depression, insomnia, binge drinking or substance abuse and muscle tension from flinching or tensing up, Patel says.
—Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 16 May 2025
Losing one-goal leads had threatened to become a theme against Dallas, but a fast start saw the Stars begin to tense up, instead of the other way ’round.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
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Many tourism leaders in gateway towns near them are worried tourists will start going elsewhere if the park experience or its environment gets eroded.—
Kirk Siegler,
NPR,
24 July 2025
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Many Ukraine watchers are worried that efforts to rollback anti-corruption initiatives will be fodder for Russian propaganda and fracture Ukraine’s unity at a critical time in the war.—
Chris Massaro,
FOXNews.com,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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She Rides Shotgun begins with one uneasy situation and ends on quite another, and the two hours in between are anything but comfortable.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
31 July 2025
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Step 3: Open the door and actually listen Senior leaders should become more visible, Burke says, especially to help coach managers who feel uneasy addressing tough topics.—
Alyshia Hull,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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But the party was especially focused on reforming public finance, calling for strict economy in expenditures and even tighter limits on taxation.—
Joseph Thorndike,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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Kick your legs in small up-and-down fluttering motions while keeping your lower back flat and abs tight throughout.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
21 July 2025
Verb
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However, more countries are looking to tighten restrictions on who can get a passport, making citizenship a more urgent goal.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 July 2025
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The race is bound to tighten somewhat after the September preliminary election, when the field will be winnowed to just Kraft and Wu.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Joe Mazur, senior analyst at Trivium China, a research and advisory firm, said the use of exit bans and the lack of clarity around specific cases will make foreign companies extremely nervous about sending staff to China, damaging overall business confidence.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
23 July 2025
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Despite more than 50 years in show business – running the gamut of Broadway, TV and film − Martin Short refreshingly still feels nervous ahead of hosting his first game show.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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This is a disturbing statistic and speaks to an increase in the total number of people defacing themselves, but also a rise in the amount of ink per person.—
Scott Liftman,
Boston Herald,
25 July 2025
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The board of the Regional Transportation Authority met Friday to discuss ways to respond to the cut, striking a note of optimism to counter the disturbing prediction for Tri-Rail’s future.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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The palate is taut and focused, with crisp citrus, ripe pear, and hints of toasted brioche and crushed oyster shell.—
Paul Caputo,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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The taut and well-crafted play imagines King’s final evening, where he’s exhausted by the relentless pace of his activist work, questioning his mission, hounded by the press, suspicious of government surveillance and afraid for his life.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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With Iran and its proxies diminished and Gulf states anxious to diversify their economies, any prospect for broader peace and normalization runs through Riyadh.—
Edward Felsenthal,
Time,
23 July 2025
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This is their first major sit-down interview together, and both are a bit anxious.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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