Synonyms of tense

tense 1 of 2

adjective

ˈten(t)s 

1

as in worried

feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty

was tense about the upcoming bar exam

Synonyms & Similar Words

• worried
• nervous
• anxious
• upset
• uneasy
• troubled
• apprehensive
• uptight
• jittery
• jumpy
• concerned
• perturbed
• queasy
• disturbed
• flustered
• hesitant
• nervy
• bothered
• unquiet
• ill at ease
• queazy
• insecure
• goosey
• edgy
• on pins and needles
• on edge
• antsy
• on tenterhooks
• dithery
• het up
• distraught
• restless
• preoccupied
• freaked
• obsessed
• hinky
• aflutter
• fretful
• aggrieved
• foreboding
• distressed
• atwitter
• disquieted
• vexed
• keyed up
• hung up
• shook-up
• fretting
• freaked-out
• fidgety
• unnerved
• high-strung
• unstrung
• undone
• misgiving
• fluttery
• spooky
• stewing
• qualmish
• qualmy
• skittish
• flighty
• hypertense
• twittered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• calm
• easy
• relaxed
• collected
• cool
• nerveless
• sure
• confident
• controlled
• happy-go-lucky
• self-assured
• self-confident
• self-controlled

2

as in uneasy

marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings

a tense relationship existed between the two teachers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• uneasy
• disturbing
• anxious
• nervous
• unsettling
• restless
• fraught
• distressful
• unnerving
• creepy
• distressing
• worrisome
• disquieting
• agitating
• nerve-wracking
• strained
• nail-biting
• nerve-racking
• hairy
• embarrassing
• awkward
• troublesome
• bothersome
• foreboding
• discouraging
• restive
• disheartening
• unrestful
• misgiving

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• easy
• comfortable
• quiet
• peaceful
• tranquil
• calming
• restful
• quieting
• pacific

3

as in tight

stretched with little or no give

a tense rope

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tight
• taut
• tightened
• rigid
• stiff
• unrelaxed
• inflexible
• unyielding
• firm

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• loose
• lax
• slack
• relaxed
• limp
• hanging
• flaccid
• floppy
• sagging
• loosened
• flexible
• elastic
• yielding
• lank
• droopy
• resilient
• supple
• pliant
• springy
• slackened
• drooping
• stretchy

tense

2 of 2

verb

as in to tighten

to draw tight

he tensed his muscles and attempted to lift the heavy appliance onto the truck

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tighten
• stretch
• tauten
• strain
• elongate
• lengthen
• constrict
• extend
• cinch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• loosen
• relax
• ease
• slacken
• slack

Examples of tense in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Britain’s chief meteorological officer James Stagg (Andrew Scott) is called upon to deliver the most consequential forecast in history, locking him into a tense standoff with the entire Allied leadership. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 12 Sep. 2024

But weeks after the stars presented that unified front, things got tense. —Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2024

Verb

Prosecutors say Brito resisted arrest by swinging his arms and tensing up in a struggle that brought him and an NYPD lieutenant to the ground. —Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 3 Feb. 2024

Start by curling your toes and tensing the muscles in your feet for five seconds before slowly relaxing them for 10 seconds. —Alice Oglethorpe, SELF, 10 May 2024