1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
was tense about the upcoming bar exam
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of tense
Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2025
And the exchange, between married co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough and guest Donny Deutsch, grew tense.
—Harrison Chon-Walker, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Jan. 2025
Michelle Cruz, The Arizona Republic, 3 Dec. 2024
And that lack of oxygen makes our muscles tense up and restricts blood flow.
—Marielle Segarra, NPR, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tense 
Adjective
As the ostensible villain of Delmer Daves’s western classic, the outlaw Ben Wade who is being guarded and brought to justice by civilian rancher Dan Evans (Oscar-winner Van Heflin), Ford keeps peeling back layers of humanity, even as the two men enact a tense cat-and-mouse game.
—Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2025
And the exchange, between married co-hosts Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough and guest Donny Deutsch, grew tense.
—Harrison Chon-Walker, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
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
And that lack of oxygen makes our muscles tense up and restricts blood flow.
—Marielle Segarra, NPR, 25 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
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Few folks are worried about how the yard looks, but Travis Hogan has a keen interest in green grass in January.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
13 Jan. 2025
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But the more time Zuckerberg spends in Mar-a-Lago, the more Sam Altman and Tim Cook should be worried.—
Alex Heath,
The Verge,
12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Add Vargas to the long list of Americans who have been uneasy about TikTok’s future.—
Jeff Gluck,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
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For all of their uneasy gazing and silent discernment, artful visages are a key element in the decor.—
Leilani Marie Labong,
Architectural Digest,
15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The team has introduced a new front-suspension design to try and make its car faster in tighter, slower turns.—
Alex Kalinauckas,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2025
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Even if this shirt came in only one color, managing editor Erin Agostinelli would still love it with its stretchy body-hugging tight fit that's almost like wearing a bodysuit but without the commitment.—
Emily Hochberg,
Travel + Leisure,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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This trend may accelerate as funding tightens for standalone startups.—
Ilona Limonta-Volkova,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
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Trump is also aiming for a redo on federal rules for tightening standards for tailpipe emissions and a waiver that allows California to adopt air-quality standards that are stricter than federal rules.—
Judith Kohler,
The Denver Post,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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But that didn’t stop Greenbaum from being a little nervous about screening the film for Harper and Will.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
12 Jan. 2025
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During this time, his nervous pacing was broken by fits of crying and sobbing.—
Al Wolter,
Outdoor Life,
10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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While the Eagles triumphed 22-10, advancing to the NFC Divisional Round, the victory was overshadowed by the disturbing exchange in the stands.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
15 Jan. 2025
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The disturbing new figures are inching close to the same number of people — 1.5 million— who were internally displaced by Haiti’s cataclysmic earthquake, which struck 15 years ago on Jan. 12, 2010.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Advertisement Like a taut earthquake fault that too often unbelts itself and cuts loose with repellent force, a deep lode of hate and racist one-upmanship undergirds Southern California.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Dec. 2024
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But unlike explorations of this taut dynamic before it, Mangold’s film subtly grapples with what exactly this taking looks like.—
Katherine Singh,
refinery29.com,
23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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For example, someone not willing to open up to you about certain aspects of their personal life can be interpreted as personal rejection, which may trigger defensive or anxious behaviors.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
24 Jan. 2025
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More than a few have faced foreclosure, leaving owners anxious about the need to get tenants back in their buildings or find another use for the millions of unused square feet.—
Roger Vincent,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
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