tense 1 of 3

adjective

ˈten(t)s How to pronounce tense (audio)
Definition of tensenext
1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty was tense about the upcoming bar exam

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2
as in uneasy
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings a tense relationship existed between the two teachers

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3
as in tight
stretched with little or no give a tense rope

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tense

2 of 3

verb (1)

as in to tighten
to draw tight he tensed his muscles and attempted to lift the heavy appliance onto the truck

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tensed

3 of 3

verb (2)

past tense of tense
as in tightened
to draw tight he tensed his muscles and attempted to lift the heavy appliance onto the truck

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tense
Adjective
This makes the first half of the film tense, and an interesting introspection of the character’s psyche in a haunted house-style situation — the true nature of which takes a while to become clear. — Rafael Motamayor, IndieWire, 8 Mar. 2025 With every heart-in-mouth die roll, and only a certain number of turns to play with until your pursuer finds you, this is a brilliantly tense sci-fi RPG. — Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
Her muscles had been tensing up to compensate for her vocal cord. — Eileen Finan, People.com, 18 Dec. 2024 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 See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
  1. worried
  2. uneasy
  3. tight
  4. nervous
  5. disturbing
  6. taut
  7. anxious
  8. unsettling
Adjective
  • About 47 million people faced an enhanced to moderate severe storm threat from Madison, Wis., to Birmingham, Ala. Forecasters grew increasingly worried that intense thunderstorms farther south will likely bring an even greater tornado threat Saturday.
    — Sean Murphy and Russ Bynum, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Citi, which went to $430 a share from $490, is worried about increasing competition and slowing growth.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • The whole exchange left Brooke feeling a little uneasy.
    — Carly Tagen-Dye, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Sudden shifts in tariffs and federal job cuts have left many investors feeling uneasy.
    — Bruce Gil, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • Denver is in the midst of a tight battle within the Western Conference standings.
    — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025
  • In the hands of a demonstrator familiar with this track’s tight corners, the car is capable of nausea-inducing changes of direction thanks to its ability to pull 1G laterally.
    — James Morris, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of tight
Adjective
  • Mitch [Hurwitz, the show creator] was very nervous.
    — Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Trump won't be on the ballot again, but this week had to make a lot of Republicans who will be very nervous.
    — Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • While no human-affecting viruses have been revived yet, the fact that ancient microbes can persist in a viable state raises a disturbing possibility: what else is hidden in the deep freeze, waiting to wake up?
    — Scott Travers, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2025
  • The possibility of losing Miami Beach's only art house cinema is disturbing to Tabsch, a filmmaker whose 2018 documentary The Last Resort, was about Miami Beach's Jewish community in the 1970s.
    — Mandalit del Barco, NPR, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • Black Bag, a taut spy thriller starring Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender, is an argument for the filmmaker’s ruthless efficiency.
    — David Sims, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2025
  • Dead City is a taut, focused follow-up to The Walking Dead that pares down the franchise’s ensemble, honing in on two of its most memorable supporting characters.
    — Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of taut
Adjective
  • Jacob Tremblay plays Winston's anxious stepson Wade.
    — Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
  • In a time when many workers are anxious about what AI means for their roles, leaders who speak to both the potential and the limits of AI are earning deeper trust and keeping their teams engaged.
    — Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of anxious
Adjective
  • Given that feeling competent in one’s work is one of the three basic psychological human needs, this may be unsettling for some.
    — Ellen Choi, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
  • The thought of spending months on end in the sweltering heat is very unsettling for me.
    — Sherry Kuehl, Kansas City Star, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of unsettling

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Cite this Entry

“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of tense for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tense

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