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
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Recent Examples of tense
Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 30 May 2025
Oklahoma City led by as many as 39 points to turn an otherwise tense deciding game Wednesday into a blowout, led by 34 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who last week was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 May 2025
Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2025
Moore briefly smiled, may have tensed her jaw and uttered one word to the person next to her, according to a lip-reader hired by the Daily Mail to decipher her reaction.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Adjective
The tense exchange came Friday morning after Joy Behar introduced a Hot Topic about Democrats investing in communications with young male voters after Trump over performed with the demographic when Americans headed to the polls last year.
—Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 30 May 2025
Oklahoma City led by as many as 39 points to turn an otherwise tense deciding game Wednesday into a blowout, led by 34 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who last week was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 29 May 2025
Verb
Sigmon’s arms briefly tensed when he was shot, and the target was blasted off his chest.
—Jeffrey Collins, Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2025
Moore briefly smiled, may have tensed her jaw and uttered one word to the person next to her, according to a lip-reader hired by the Daily Mail to decipher her reaction.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
-
Georgia, too, is worried about Ginny's behind-the-scenes machinations.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
7 June 2025
-
While Republicans in Congress have been pushing for major Medicaid cuts in the new budget, many Medicaid enrollees are worried about what this means for their health coverage — including those who identify as Republican.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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In the wake of multiple plane crashes, and amid erratic federal policies and denials and detentions at border crossings, summer travel in the U.S. is in an uneasy state.—
Kevinisha Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
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The opening moments cement its tonal dissonance as, with a twang of Daniel Kowalski’s spare, uneasy score, a brief prologue with fire, a flailing figure and mutterings about Satan snaps to a far more banal view of an empty street lined with dim, shuttered houses under a low, gray sky.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Trump’s new team, new strategy With Leo sidelined, Trump’s judicial nominations are now being shaped by a tighter circle of aides and outside activists.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
3 June 2025
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The Black family is among those at two of Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s largest high schools, Ardrey Kell and Myers Park, facing tight guest limits at graduation ceremonies this year due to a venue change from the Spectrum Center to the smaller Bojangles Coliseum.—
Nora O’Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Entry to the holy cities has likewise been tightened.—
Juwayriah Wright,
Time,
4 June 2025
-
The Xtreme 4 just tightens that formula even more, now for $130 less.—
Shubham Yewale,
PC Magazine,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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The video highlighted how visibly nervous Jessie was while using jokes to get through the show.—
Tomás Mier,
Rolling Stone,
6 June 2025
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Sarah was nervous before the NBA Draft Following an athlete's personal journey can be exhilarating and emotional, as Sarah experienced in the lead-up to the 2022 NBA Draft.—
Christopher Rudolph,
People.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
The withdrawn teen obsessively draws dark spiders in class and shows a disturbing fixation on news reports of school shootings.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
6 June 2025
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His disturbing legacy drew the attention of filmmaker and former HBO executive Kary Antholis, who had followed the case for decades.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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The final showdown involves a clever variation on the taut bomb-defusing scenario that had already become cliché for these movies, and no amount of Tom Cruise running gives many of the action sequences much distinction.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
23 May 2025
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Almost 60 years later, with these two worlds living side by side, Creede is a taut microcosm of current national divisions.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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On Tires, Gerben plays Will, the anxious and unqualified son of the auto-repair chain's owner.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
5 June 2025
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As a result, children can become frustrated and anxious when trying to learn math.—
Jennifer Pierce,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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