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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of tense
Melissa Noel, Essence, 1 Apr. 2025
The former, co-directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, is a tense thriller that turns the final 20 minutes of Civil War into a feature-length set piece in the Middle East, and the latter, directed by Resurrection producer Alex Scharfman, is a giddy eat-the-rich satire featuring enormous puppets.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 1 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
While Trump and Musk haven’t responded to the speech, Booker’s marathon moment comes at a tense time for Democrats.
—Melissa Noel, Essence, 1 Apr. 2025
The former, co-directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, is a tense thriller that turns the final 20 minutes of Civil War into a feature-length set piece in the Middle East, and the latter, directed by Resurrection producer Alex Scharfman, is a giddy eat-the-rich satire featuring enormous puppets.
—Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 1 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
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What's more, despite the fact that the majority of parents limit their teen's digital usage, most remain worried that they will be exposed to harms online.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
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Many Americans are worried that their First Amendment right to free speech is fading.—
Leila Fadel,
NPR,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Shortly after midnight on Tuesday, some attendees at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, started to feel uneasy.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
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But Sherrill remains uneasy about what could happen next.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Grizzlies, which entered with losses in seven of their last eight games and recently made a coaching change, are in a tight race in the Western Conference to avoid the NBA’s play-in tournament.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2025
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This wood is chosen for its tight grain and natural flavor compounds, such as lignin and tannins.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This causes folks to be nervous, which triggers a lack in consumer confidence.—
Gary Franks,
Hartford Courant,
21 Mar. 2025
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The unemployment rate is pretty low at the moment, but under the hood Americans sure are nervous about the job market.—
Emily Peck,
Axios,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Other times, Claude’s mental activity seems super disturbing and maybe even dangerous.—
Steven Levy,
Wired News,
28 Mar. 2025
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Just as disturbing and bizarre, at least one juror originally didn’t want to convict Zeigler at all and didn’t vote to do so until after that same judge ordered the bailiff to give her a Valium.—
Scott Maxwell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Clooney and Heslov’s taut script stays on target, resisting any expansion of a story that clocks in a speedy 100 minutes.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
4 Apr. 2025
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The result is a wine whose taut acidity is balanced by a delicately creamy texture that carries notes of passionfruit, green apples, lime blossoms, a hint of fresh-cut tarragon, and a spine of crunchy minerality that rides through the lively finish.—
Brian Freedman,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Not that Wendlinger is anxious for her time with the Mustangs to end.—
Michael Osipoff,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2025
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Friday, a government report showed that the U.S. labor market held up better than expected in March despite the federal government’s layoffs, the crackdown on immigrants, and surveys showing that consumers and businesses are increasingly anxious about the economy.—
Josh Fellman,
Quartz,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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And for people who value stability, control or routine, that kind of change can feel deeply unsettling.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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There’s also the strange, silent, cubic villagers with long rectangular noses who are deeply unsettling, not to mention the square pigs.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
3 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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