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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tight
stretched with little or no give
a tense rope
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of tense
Phil Wahba, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024
Sadly, we were robbed of any repulsive body horror on this lovely Halloween day (sorry, gore-hounds), but at least we were left with one helluva cliffhanger heading into its tense season closer.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 31 Oct. 2024
Erica Sloan, SELF, 15 Aug. 2024
There's also Pranayama Fire Breath—the forceful exhalations through tensing the abs, which has been found to help with cognitive function.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tense 
Adjective
Schultz also antagonized store workers during a time of tense relations between the company and employees during his third stint as CEO.
—Phil Wahba, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024
Sadly, we were robbed of any repulsive body horror on this lovely Halloween day (sorry, gore-hounds), but at least we were left with one helluva cliffhanger heading into its tense season closer.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
Then the phone would ring, and you would be tensed up.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 15 Aug. 2024
There's also Pranayama Fire Breath—the forceful exhalations through tensing the abs, which has been found to help with cognitive function.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 3 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tense
Adjective
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Ben Affleck is not worried about AI taking over Hollywood.Zack Sharf, Variety, 18 Nov. 2024
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At the same time, Democrats hoped that all their voters would be willing to cast their ballot for democracy, not realizing that many working-class Americans, even the liberal ones, are more worried about the economy and inflation.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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That raises uneasy questions about Worthington’s social fabric and how to celebrate distinct cultures while overcoming ethnic self-segregation.Giovanna Dell'orto, Twin Cities, 31 Oct. 2024
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Apostates ties hunters with these organizations more closely as uneasy allies, rivals or even direct antagonists.Rob Wieland, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The company’s markets wagered correctly and controversially in Donald Trump’s favor in bets on who would win the presidential election, even though opinion polls showed a tight race.Sophia Pargas, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
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Incumbent Leonel Talavera and her opponent, Vanesa Estrella, are locked in a tight race for Area 5.Alexcia Negrete, Orange County Register, 9 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The proposal was, in fact, a calculated business maneuver designed to bring in billions of dollars in new revenue, box competitors out of lucrative government contracts and tighten the company’s grip on federal business.Renee Dudley, ProPublica, 15 Nov. 2024
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As the technology has progressed, however, the rules governing shipwrecks have tightened considerably.Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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There’s really nothing to be nervous about, just the optics of everything.Peter A. Berry, Billboard, 18 Nov. 2024
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Still, Trump kept Republicans nervous by mixing in messages of grievance up until the very end of the race, veering off a script on inflation and immigration that operatives believed was more effective in winning over persuadable voters.Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Here are two reasons behind these often disturbing experiences, according to research.Mark Travers, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
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In court, attorneys for the state also described a disturbing scene.Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Holding skin taut, glide tool across damp skin, treating each area no more than twice.Emily Orofino, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2024
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The veteran prestige-TV drama director Michael Dinner (who had previously worked with Silo creator Graham Yost on Justified) and the show’s crew keep the action taut, tense, and easy to follow as Juliette survives several potentially fatal setbacks and just keeps going.Noel Murray, Vulture, 15 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Boutin has been in remission from thyroid cancer since August, but just had a related surgery last week and the couple was anxious about Boutin inhaling any smoke.CNN.com, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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Joe Biden lost North Carolina by just over one percentage point in 2020, but Harris has been tied or ahead in several recent polls there, and the Trump campaign has been increasingly anxious about it.The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Tense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tense. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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