as in pressure
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 tension
Alia Malek, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
By the fall, much of the tension had simmered down.
—Richard Requena, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025
Julia Musto, Fox News, 2 Jan. 2022
Will tension between hawks and doves be the defining characteristic of Juntos going forward?
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 14 Nov. 2021
See all Example Sentences for tension 
Noun
Across the affected areas of Turkey, more than 650,000 housing units were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable by the earthquakes, and tensions quickly escalated between newly homeless Syrians and Turks.
—Alia Malek, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
By the fall, much of the tension had simmered down.
—Richard Requena, Chicago Tribune, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
The team will separate and individually tension each of the five sunshield layers, stretching them into their final shape.
—Julia Musto, Fox News, 2 Jan. 2022
Will tension between hawks and doves be the defining characteristic of Juntos going forward?
—Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes, 14 Nov. 2021
See all Example Sentences for tension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tension
Noun
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There’s insurmountable pressure to look and dress a certain way.Shradha Shahani, Vogue, 15 Jan. 2025
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Love can improve his decision making, but a better offensive scheme can also relieve some of that pressure to perform perfectly at all times.Matt Schneidman, The Athletic, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Key Ingredients: Chantecaille’s mask is enriched with plant stem cells, four peptides, tensing agents, and nourishers to smooth and lift the skin.Kiana Murden, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2025
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Vanderbilt speech pathologist Jennifer Muckala added that Williams-Paisley’s muscles had been tensing up to compensate for her vocal cords.Stephanie Giang-Paunon, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Dry mouth is often a temporary response to stress or nervousness.Mark Gurarie, Health, 12 Jan. 2025
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Shopping for packing cubes to save space and stress?Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Putin has steadily tightened his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with the two leaders signing a defense pact when the Russian leader paid a visit to North Korea in June.Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
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For the past four years, the Biden administration has tightened relations with allies but neglected diplomacy where it was most needed, with Russia and China.Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Lasting inflation is creating a greater strain on Americans' wallets, and some people are delaying paying their student loans to cover other expenses.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Jan. 2025
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Shifting tourism away from overburdened hot spots helps to alleviate strain on crowded destinations while fostering economic growth and cultural preservation in areas that welcome visitors most, Barnes explained.Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 9 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near tension
Cite this Entry
“Tension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tension. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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