tense 1 of 2

adjective

ˈten(t)s How to pronounce tense (audio)
Definition of tensenext
1
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty was tense about the upcoming bar exam

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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

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3
as in tight
stretched with little or no give a tense rope

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tense

2 of 2

verb

as in to tighten
to draw tight he tensed his muscles and attempted to lift the heavy appliance onto the truck

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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
Adjective
The episode picks up when Bret and Robert have their first tense interaction — their vaguely hostile and lightly homoerotic back-and-forth continues to be the highlight of the show for me. — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026 Christy Ucheibe scored the resultant penalty to set up a tense finale. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
Be a good child, do what they’re told, be the best child, a tremble in their hands, say nothing, tensed for the knock on the door. — Literary Hub, 17 June 2026 Relaxation exercises Stress-reduction techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and tensing and relaxing muscle groups can calm the nervous system and help patients feel more in control of their symptoms, says Moss. — Mark Marino, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
  1. worried
  2. uneasy
  3. tight
  4. tighten
  5. nervous
  6. disturbing
  7. taut
  8. anxious
Adjective
  • Truth is, Westside Cowboy — all of whom are in their early to mid-twenties — are just as worried about it all as anyone else.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Buyers were interested but worried about the optics of a show revolving around two wealthy, gallivanting white guys.
    — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of worried
Adjective
  • Some users appeared to grow uneasy, even as Polymarket let people bet on whether the fires would spread to nearby counties or when they might be contained.
    — Cole Reynolds, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The doll arrives at an uneasy moment for the brand it’s built on.
    — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • Luchanko often creates chances for his teammates on the move, in tight and off the edge.
    — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • If money is tight, families tend to prioritize keeping boys in school, even if girls show more promise, experts say.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of tight
Verb
  • And given that, and the high state and municipal taxes many households and businesses face, Fazio added, Connecticut should tighten retirement benefits again before extending them next summer.
    — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
  • One rung below the Championship, League One clubs voted to tighten the salary cost management protocol (SCMP), which has been in operation for several years.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of tighten
Adjective
  • Severe illness can affect the central nervous symptom and result in hospitalization or death.
    — Rashad Williams, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Given all that, is Green nervous about working within the system once more?
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • The disturbing incident comes amidst a sharp increase in both felony and misdemeanor assaults in the subway system.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The story follows a husband and wife who buy their dream ranch only to discover the land is alive with ancient spirits, and survival means submitting to increasingly disturbing rituals with each turn of the season.
    — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • Filmmaker Rubaiyat Hossain crafts a taut supernatural drama that dissects the patriarchy hiding beneath the veneer of a fairytale wedding.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 17 Aug. 2026
  • For a woman who died in 1818, her face seems slightly too taut, her eyes slightly too wide, her skin slightly too bright.
    — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
Definition of taut
Adjective
  • Fortunately for the anxious among us, and less fortunately for those still loyal to the dying rituals of interpersonal correspondence, Cynthia has recently moved to online reservations.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Yet even the president’s die-hard supporters are becoming more anxious about the costs associated with the war.
    — Zac Anderson, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of anxious

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Cite this Entry

“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on tense

Nglish: Translation of tense for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tense

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