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
Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
Abdi said the risks of regional war are surging after Trump had helped calm regional tensions initially by investing in diplomacy early and forcing Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire deal that saw hostages freed.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 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
Over one of the most powerful bridges in pop history, tension builds as Gaga’s vocals cascade around you.
—Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
Abdi said the risks of regional war are surging after Trump had helped calm regional tensions initially by investing in diplomacy early and forcing Israel and Hamas to agree to a ceasefire deal that saw hostages freed.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 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
-
There would be fan pressure for the young quarterback to play if Prescott struggled.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
16 Mar. 2025
-
At a key hearing on March 6, 2023, Ricco says, Messiah broke down from the pressure and began crying.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
16 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
-
Dana remains traumatized and continues to display signs of stress, depression and anxiety.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
-
The previously steady couple experiences friction because of the resulting stress, but things take a more hellish turn when everyone discovers the house is haunted by a demon looking for a new host.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Yes, corporate budgets are tightening, but cutting employee benefits is a mistake that will ultimately harm everyone as well as the bottom line.—
Danaya Wilson,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
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This came despite President Joe Biden signing his own executive order in 2021 to tighten enforcement by fining hospitals that did not comply.—
Marquise Francis,
NBC News,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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This mutation is often found in flu strains that are resistant to oseltamivir, a common influenza treatment for humans that is sold under the brand name Tamiflu.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
12 Mar. 2025
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Kaspersky analysts pointed out that 2024 saw a sharp rise in infections driven by certain malware strains.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
12 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tension. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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