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
Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2025
Boy Meets World alum Maitland Ward opened up about her recent reunion with former costar Danielle Fishel, which resulted in a tense exchange on the latter’s podcast.
—Meredith Nardino, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2025
Markham Heid, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
The unidentified caseworker was described in court documents as having his eyes bulging, drooling and his arm muscles tensing during the attack.
—Michelle Cruz, The Arizona Republic, 3 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for tense
Adjective
Whether the order expresses animus against trans people sparked a tense back-and-forth between Justice Department attorney Jason C. Lynch and U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes during a preliminary hearing in the lawsuit last week.
—Jo Yurcaba, NBC News, 27 Feb. 2025
Boy Meets World alum Maitland Ward opened up about her recent reunion with former costar Danielle Fishel, which resulted in a tense exchange on the latter’s podcast.
—Meredith Nardino, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2025
Verb
For example, progressive muscle relaxation therapy—an intervention that involves systematically tensing and then relaxing the body’s muscles—was found to reduce anxiety and depression in patients with prostate cancer, according to research in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
—Markham Heid, TIME, 13 Dec. 2024
The unidentified caseworker was described in court documents as having his eyes bulging, drooling and his arm muscles tensing during the attack.
—Michelle Cruz, The Arizona Republic, 3 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
-
With the recent temporary suspensions on research grant reviews and payments for researchers and talk of mass layoffs and budget cuts at the National Science Foundation, scientists are already worried about how science funding will be affected.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
18 Feb. 2025
-
That’s a lot of CO2, something airlines are increasingly worried about.—
Jackie Snow,
Quartz,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The resolution is seeking $4.5 trillion in tax breaks and $2 trillion in spending cuts over the next 10 years, measures that have met opposition from Democrats and made some Republicans uneasy.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
-
In my conversations with barbecue people, there was often uneasy tension about whether craft barbecue is something new or a return to an old way of doing things.—
Rachel Monroe,
The New Yorker,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The Brits handed their prize to Conclave, which feels like the favorite here, too, since the pacing of its papal politicking is as tight as a drum.—
Nate Jones,
Vulture,
27 Feb. 2025
-
As a result of the super cycle, MRO facility capacity — already under pressure, particularly for engines — will remain tight, with long queues and increased turnaround times for aircraft and components.—
Oliver Wyman,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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But the race has tightened between him and Brody, who is predicted to take home the Best Actor prize for his riveting performance as a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor in the three-and-half hour-plus saga.—
Karu F. Daniels,
New York Daily News,
28 Feb. 2025
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Portugal and Greece Ramp Up Golden Visas Golden visas offer EU residency through investment, but rising concerns over housing, security and fairness have caused many countries to shut them down or tighten regulations.—
Passport by ForbesLife,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Atop all this, Floria is charged with supervising nervous, error-prone student nurse Amelie (Selma) — tempers fray as precious time runs out.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
-
In the final round, a nervous Castle missed his first four dunk attempts for his first dunk of the round, before finishing with pizzaz on a between-the-legs up-and-under one-handed flush.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Warning: The following story elements, including photos and video, may be disturbing to some readers.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
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The feature take is set amidst the 4th of July celebration, as a disturbing figure named Tommy Taffy emerges.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Instead, the director’s latest delivers a taut, empathetic drama that captures the stressful realities nurses face.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2025
-
When what was once taut becomes looser, thinner, and a bit wrinkled, the best crepey-skin treatments will give your skin a smoother, tighter appearance (with consistent use as directed by the brand, of course).—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
While many companies rapidly integrate AI, this data reveals a growing disconnect: employees are increasingly anxious about its impact.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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But raising cash remains a challenge for some, with investors anxious about startups courting enough customers for healthy returns, Pershad said.—
Liang Lei,
CNBC,
26 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to tense
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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