ten·sion
ˈten(t)-shən 
1
a
: inner striving, unrest, or imbalance often with physiological indication of emotion
b
: a state of latent hostility or opposition between individuals or groups
c
: a balance maintained in an artistic work between opposing forces or elements
2
a
: the act or action of stretching or the condition or degree of being stretched to stiffness : tautness
b
3
a
: either of two balancing forces causing or tending to cause extension
b
: the stress resulting from the elongation of an elastic body
4
: a device to produce a desired tension (as in a loom)
tensioned; tensioning
ˈten(t)-sh(ə-)niŋ
: to subject to tension
especially
: to tighten to a desired or appropriate degree
Synonyms
Examples of tension in a Sentence
Noun
You can see she is just filled with tension about her job.
The dramatic tension was very satisfying.
The author resolves the tension too soon.
Political tensions in the region make it unstable.
Do you sense the tension between those two?
There was a lot of tension at the meeting.
The book describes the tension-filled days before the war.
He felt a tension between duty and love.
There will always be some tension between the desire to reduce risk and the desire to make as much money as possible.
Recent Examples on the Web
Reuters, NBC News, 27 June 2024
Wednesday's rebellion came after months of tensions, with economic hardship and protests growing ever stronger as two political titans -- Arce and Morales -- battled for control of the ruling party.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 27 June 2024
John Timmer, Ars Technica, 20 May 2024
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 13 Perfectly Nice Neighbors
Salma, a Bangladeshi woman, moves to a new neighborhood with her family, and immediately tensions with their neighbors run high after a woman is caught vandalizing their anti-racist flag.
—Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 29 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for tension 
Noun
Last week, announcing new legal guidelines, China threatened to execute Taiwan independence separatists in extreme cases, a further ramping up of tensions that drew condemnation from Lai and his government, as well as the United States.
—Reuters, NBC News, 27 June 2024
Wednesday's rebellion came after months of tensions, with economic hardship and protests growing ever stronger as two political titans -- Arce and Morales -- battled for control of the ruling party.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 27 June 2024
Verb
In terms of speech, this means the neurons needed to convert the desire to say a word into the muscle activity needed to control the mouth and tongue, expel sufficient breath, and tension the vocal cords.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 20 May 2024
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below 13 Perfectly Nice Neighbors
Salma, a Bangladeshi woman, moves to a new neighborhood with her family, and immediately tensions with their neighbors run high after a woman is caught vandalizing their anti-racist flag.
—Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 29 July 2023
See all Example Sentences for tension
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tension.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tension
Cite this Entry
“Tension.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tension. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
tension
noun
ten·sion
ˈten-chən
1
a
: the act or action of stretching or the condition or degree of being stretched to stiffness
muscular tension
b
2
a
: either of two balancing forces causing or tending to cause extension
b
: the stress resulting from the elongation of an elastic body
3
: inner striving, unrest, or imbalance often with physiological indication of emotion
4
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