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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of tense
Leslie Katz, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Like a fist squeezing around a hose, a tense pelvic floor makes it so this space can’t open as freely, essentially restricting the flow of urine from bladder to toilet, Dr. Preil says.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 9 Dec. 2024
Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2024
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that involves tensing and relaxing all the muscles in your body, group by group, in a specific order.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tense 
Adjective
The tense back and forth between OpenAI and some artists continues, however.
—Leslie Katz, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024
Like a fist squeezing around a hose, a tense pelvic floor makes it so this space can’t open as freely, essentially restricting the flow of urine from bladder to toilet, Dr. Preil says.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
Franklin’s in-game coaching decisions and curious clock management at the end of the first half helped seal the Nittany Lions’ reputation as a team that tenses up in big games.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2024
Progressive Muscle Relaxation Progressive muscle relaxation is a technique that involves tensing and relaxing all the muscles in your body, group by group, in a specific order.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 25 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
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Still, some residents are worried about the drones.Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 14 Dec. 2024
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Lawmakers in New Jersey and beyond grew worried Friday about the now-regular spotting of drones over the state, with officials calling for answers and more transparency from federal agencies.The Hill, The Hill, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But the series also revealed an uneasy disconnect between the British public and the media.Katie Marie Davies, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Dec. 2024
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Sinner and Alcaraz have had some superb matches – the China Open was one ATP tour final for the ages – but there's an uneasy chasm to jump between the end of the Big Four Era and the wave of Next Gen talent.Tim Ellis, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The Biden administration began developing the guidance over the summer, aiming to provide the Trump team with a clear road map for tackling the increasingly tight relationships between some of the United States' biggest adversaries.Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
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The supply of labor is tight in meatpacking plants and the farming industry as a whole, says Cesar Escalante, a professor at the University of Georgia’s College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences.Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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But according to experts that spoke to CNBC, there is reason to believe Europe, which is Ukraine’s biggest donor, can make up the shortfall if the U.S. withdraws or tightens that funding.Lily Meckel, CNBC, 13 Dec. 2024
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The treatment features radio frequency for skin tightening and lifting, advanced muscle stimulation to volumize and tone, and ends with a manual lymphatic drainage to improve circulation.Angela Lei, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Tyler Hines did such an amazing job of being a mentor this season, and a supporter for all of us nervous guys in the middle of a competition.Kristen Baldwin, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024
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Read more Auto giants are getting nervous about the prospect of mega fines as EV demand falters ‘Europe’s Detroit’ built a thriving car industry.Sam Meredith, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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One of the more disturbing results was from the dinner party at the Brooklyn apartment of my ProPublica colleague.Topher Sanders, ProPublica, 9 Dec. 2024
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Duchamp spent the last twenty years of his life working in secret on a three-dimensional tableau vivant of a naked, headless female body in a realistic landscape, a strangely disturbing image that is both a summary of his meta-retinal art and a total departure from it.Calvin Tomkins, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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In the lab, a piece of aerogel material a couple millimeters thick is held taut inside a metal frame.Ari Daniel, NPR, 9 Dec. 2024
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Sharp’s hushed but taut narration played out in real time, like an announcer calling a tennis game.Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 24 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Farmers are anxious about the loss of farmland, and the Manx National Farmers’ Union has opposed plans elsewhere to convert agricultural land to rainforest.Christine Ro, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
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This promise has left people in the area anxious about the deep impact new workplace raids could have on the community's psyche and the economy.Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 9 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 25 Dec. 2024.
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