tense

noun
UK: /tens/
US: /tens/

  1. A form of a verb that shows when an action happened.

    1. I study: present tense is very easy in English language. [ ] [ ]
    2. The past tense of 'go' is 'went', but forming the tense can be irregular. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

anxious strained nervous
tense verb

  1. To make something tight or stretched.

    1. I tense my muscles before lifting something heavy at the gym. [ ] [ ]
    2. Try not to tense your shoulders when you are sitting at the computer. [ ] [ ]

  2. To feel worried or nervous.

    1. I tense up before a big presentation to the audience. [ ] [ ]
    2. He seemed to tense when I asked him about his plans for the future. [ ] [ ]
tense adjective

  1. Worried or nervous.

    1. I felt tense before the exam, can you imagine? [ ] [ ]
    2. She was tense as she waited for the important phone call from client. [ ] [ ]

  2. Stretched tightly; not relaxed.

    1. The rope was tense, pulled between two trees in the garden. [ ] [ ]
    2. Her tense muscles showed how much she was working. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "tense" is /tens/ in British English and /tens/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "tense": anxious, strained, nervous.

Example usage of "tense": "I study: present tense is very easy in English language.". More examples on the page.