1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
was tense about the upcoming bar exam
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
Amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2025
Your shoulders and hands should feel fairly loose, rather than hunched or tense, which can tire you out faster.
—Jennifer Heimlich, SELF, 25 Apr. 2025
Kiana Murden, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2025
Vanderbilt speech pathologist Jennifer Muckala added that Williams-Paisley’s muscles had been tensing up to compensate for her vocal cords.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for tense
Adjective
This follows a likely increase in equity inflows from foreign banks, a struggling U.S. dollar and tense India-Pakistan relations.
—Amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2025
Your shoulders and hands should feel fairly loose, rather than hunched or tense, which can tire you out faster.
—Jennifer Heimlich, SELF, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
Key Ingredients: Chantecaille’s mask is enriched with plant stem cells, four peptides, tensing agents, and nourishers to smooth and lift the skin.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2025
Vanderbilt speech pathologist Jennifer Muckala added that Williams-Paisley’s muscles had been tensing up to compensate for her vocal cords.
—Stephanie Giang-Paunon, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
-
Others are worried about the fate of the Smithsonian more broadly.—
Deborah Barfield Berry,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
-
An overwhelming 92 percent are worried about a potential recession in 2025.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Consumer sentiment and expectations Americans are feeling uneasy about the economy, and that is showing up in the data.—
Russ Wiles,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Markets have been turbulent ever since as trade policy uncertainty leaves investors uneasy.—
Chris DiLella,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Tour demands that players lift up their floors — and flaws — in tight moments.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
-
For smaller companies or those operating with tight budgets, these costs can seem prohibitive, especially when the return on investment (ROI) is uncertain or far beyond the headlights.—
Tim Houlne,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
At the same time, sellers might get nervous if deal activity slows down.—
James Nelson,
Forbes.com,
18 Apr. 2025
-
At times brutal and always volatile, the album functions as a sort of electro-shock therapy applied from the shoulders down, layering hard beats, ambient whorls, and nervous acid ticks to trigger a state of full-body rapture.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
In cases where advertising is inevitable, some prefer ads that appeal on a personal level over messaging that can be inappropriate or, even, disturbing and offensive.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 Apr. 2025
-
Ghosts that wink could be scary but the face Sal makes is disturbing in other ways.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
At the table, Ochoa took the scissors and snipped the clean, beige natural casing, which was taut like a balloon.—
Laurie Ochoa,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2025
-
To use it, hold the tool downward at a 45-degree angle and pull the skin taut while moving the device downward in short, gentle strokes—and feel free to pick your own speed.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Professionally, Xavier is anxious about future tax exposure from his deferred compensation.—
Brian Lasher,
Forbes.com,
30 Apr. 2025
-
Another reason people put off going to bed is to avoid feeling anxious or restless, said James Rowley, MD, a sleep medicine expert at Rush University Medical Center and spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The voice of Pope Francis has been such a voice—gentle, disarming, and at times, unsettling.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
-
These experiments busted the urban myth but also pointed to a the truth about how companies like Facebook sometimes serve up such disturbingly accurate advertisements that is much more complex, and unsettling.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share