tense

1 of 3

adjective

ˈten(t)s 

tenser; tensest

1

: stretched tight : made taut : rigid

tense muscles

2

a

: feeling or showing nervous tension

a tense smile

b

: marked by strain or suspense

a tense thriller

3

: produced with the muscles involved in a relatively tense state

the vowels \ē\ and \ü\ in contrast with the vowels \i\ and \u̇\ are tense

tensely adverb

tenseness noun

tense

2 of 3

verb

tensed; tensing

transitive verb

: to make tense

intransitive verb

: to become tense

tensed up and missed the putt

tense

3 of 3

noun

1

: a distinction of form in a verb to express distinctions of time or duration of the action or state it denotes

2

a

: a set of inflectional forms of a verb that express distinctions of time

b

: an inflectional form of a verb expressing a specific time distinction

Synonyms

Adjective

• aflutter
• antsy
• anxious
• atwitter
• dithery
• edgy
• goosey
• het up
• hinky [slang]
• hung up
• ill at ease
• insecure
• jittery
• jumpy
• nervous
• nervy
• perturbed
• queasy
• queazy
• troubled
• uneasy
• unquiet
• upset
• uptight
• worried

Verb

• strain
• stretch
• tauten
• tighten

Examples of tense in a Sentence

Adjective

She was feeling pretty tense.

Why are you so tense?

We sat quietly for a few tense moments.

It was a tense meeting.

My calf muscles are really tense.

Verb

She tensed as he walked toward her.

He tensed up and missed the putt.

Noun

The sentence will read better if you change the tense of the verb.

You should avoid changing tense in the middle of a paragraph.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The world’s biggest trading bloc was expecting the U.S. tariffs and prepared in advance, but the measures still place great strain on already tense transatlantic relations. —TIME, 12 Mar. 2025

The recent polling comes after Trump had a tense confrontation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office leading to a pause in U.S. military aid to Ukraine. —Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025

Verb

Once in a while, a steer will break loose, causing the presenters to tense up. —Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Feb. 2025

Polished in its visuals but tensed from the get-go by a sinister electronic score, melding procedural and a shockingly incomprehensible reality, the suspense thriller builds as a potent mixture where the past also weighs heavily, in personal, historical and fantasy terms. —John Hopewell, Variety, 11 Feb. 2025

Noun

Told in short, powerful chapters that are always in the present tense, Walger shares evocative details about her dad, a charismatic rogue who, among his exploits, took up skydiving in his late 50s. —Erik Pedersen, Orange County Register, 13 Mar. 2025

The claustrophobic authorial perspective, coupled with narration in the present tense, creates a creeping sense of disorientation. —Sam Worley, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Latin tensus, from past participle of tendere "to extend outward, stretch, spread out" — more at tender entry 3

Verb

derivative of tense entry 1

Noun

Middle English tens, borrowed from Anglo-French tens, temps "time, moment, season, tense," going back to Latin tempus "period of time, season, tense" — more at tempo

First Known Use

Adjective

1668, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1676, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tense

• future tense
• hyper-tense
• past tense
• perfect tense
• present tense
• progressive tense

Rhymes for tense

• cense
• dense
• fence
• hence
• lense
• mense
• sense
• thence
• whence
• antisense
• commonsense
• effulgence

Kids Definition

tense

1 of 3 noun

ˈten(t)s 

: a form of a verb used to show the past, present, or future time of the action or state it denotes

tense

2 of 3 adjective

tenser; tensest

1

: stretched tight : made rigid

tense muscles

2

: feeling or showing nervous tension

a tense smile

3

: marked by strain or uncertainty

a tense moment

tensely adverb

tenseness noun

tense

3 of 3 verb

tensed; tensing

: to make or become tense

Etymology

Noun

Middle English tens "time, tense," from early French tens (same meaning), from Latin tempus "time" — related to temporary

Adjective

from Latin tensus "stretched tight," from tendere "to stretch" — related to tender entry 2

Medical Definition

tense

1 of 2 adjective

ˈten(t)s 

tenser; tensest

1

: stretched tight : made taut or rigid

the skeletal musculature involuntarily becomes tense

—H. G. Armstrong

2

: feeling or showing nervous tension

was tense and irritable

tenseness noun

tense

2 of 2 verb

tensed; tensing

transitive verb

: to make tense

tense a muscle

intransitive verb

: to become tense