as in pressure
the burden on one's emotional or mental well-being created by demands on one's time
under a lot of tension right now about her decision not to go to college
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Recent Examples of tension
Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2022
The roof bars tension the whole tent nicely, pulling against the stakes, so there’s no slack in the walls and no sag in the roof.
—Bill Gifford, Outside Online, 26 July 2022
Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Dudek sensed the growing tension.
—Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tension
Noun
In a lengthy chat with host Stephen Colbert, the director and actress spoke about everything from firing Shia LaBeouf to tension with star Florence Pugh to whether Harry Styles actually spit on Chris Pine.
—Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2022
The roof bars tension the whole tent nicely, pulling against the stakes, so there’s no slack in the walls and no sag in the roof.
—Bill Gifford, Outside Online, 26 July 2022
Verb
After exchanging sky-high tariffs and other tit-for-tat countermeasures, the two sides entered trade talks as tensions cooled, soothing markets.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Dudek sensed the growing tension.
—Eli Hager, ProPublica, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tension
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tension
Noun
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By the time the impeachment trial commenced, the top-down pressure from prominent, national Republicans could be seen and felt.—
Kimberly Ross,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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His game plan was to move forward, pressure Volkanovski and land with power.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Seemingly immediately, your heart will begin racing and your muscles will start tensing.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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Sport mode is where things get serious, tensing the car’s muscles and unleashing the entire prairie of horses.—
Tim Pitt,
Robb Report,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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When a child is unwell, parents may have to miss work, and children can fall behind in school, adding stress for everyone in the family.—
Rhonda Conner-Warren,
The Conversation,
11 Sep. 2025
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For something more personal, the Fitbit Sense fitness tracker is down 34% to $153, giving you stress tracking, sleep insights, and health tools that actually help day to day.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As budgets tighten, vibe coding becomes not just a productivity enhancer but a strategic enabler.—
Paul Kovalenko,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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The announcement also included a safety reminder that urged companies to tighten cybersecurity practices when handling Chinese citizens’ personal data.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Uncontrolled hypertension can lead to more strain on the blood vessels, which could weaken the heart and lead to serious health problems like strokes, heart attacks, and kidney disease.—
Alice Park,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
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The 1987 stock market crash was a further blow to the small company and an additional strain on its finances.—
Cameron Kaiser,
ArsTechnica,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tension.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tension. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.
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