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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There’s no shortage of movies that have looked at Dylan’s music and his uneasy relationship to fame.David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Dec. 2024
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Merkel recalled how Putin, knowing that she had once been wounded by a dog and was uneasy around them, had infamously brought his large Labrador to a meeting between them in 2007.Christian Edwards, CNN, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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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
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The company has focused on tight inventory control and full-price sales as part of its omnichannel integration strategy, with inventory down 2.6 percent in the first nine months of the year.Rhonda Richford, WWD, 11 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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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
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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
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
Adjective
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Concerns With Imported Toys The report highlights a number of unsettling realities surrounding toys purchased by U.S. consumers directly from online retailers located overseas.Mia Taylor, Parents, 27 Nov. 2024
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Simply sharing the final score — Dallas Cowboys 34, Washington Commanders 26 — does not come close to explaining the bizarre ending and unsettling ways the home team lost with contributions from all three phases.Ben Standig, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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