How to Use tension in a Sentence

tension

1 of 2 noun
Definition of tensionnext
Synonyms for tensionnext
  • The book describes the tension-filled days before the war.
  • You can see she is just filled with tension about her job.
  • There will always be some tension between the desire to reduce risk and the desire to make as much money as possible.
  • The tension has put the liberal council in a sticky spot.
    — Peter Hermann, Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2024
  • The utopia promised by that monologue would seem to lack any reason for tension.
    — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 18 Apr. 2023
  • The upper body is where many people store tension and stress.
    — Erin Warwood, Women's Health, 12 Apr. 2023
  • The strikes come amid escalating tensions around the Black Sea.
    — Marc Santora, BostonGlobe.com, 4 Aug. 2023
  • There's that unique tension in its sinews, and a sense of athletic poise and balance.
    — Tony Swan, Car and Driver, 28 Aug. 2023
  • A number of factors have combined to ratchet up the tension behind the counter.
    — Marley Jay, NBC News, 28 Oct. 2023
  • The costs have led to tensions between the company and operators in the past.
    — Danielle Wiener-Bronner, CNN, 22 Sep. 2023
  • Despite the tension, Ybarra, 47, has staunch supporters on and off the board.
    — Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 23 Mar. 2023
  • The two lock eyes before they’re interrupted by Alex who clears his throat to cut the tension.
    — Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2023
  • Asked by Ford to comment on the tension which gradually builds within the group, Story said this was at the heart of the film.
    — Annika Pham, Variety, 22 Mar. 2024
  • The perro caliente, or Colombia-style hot dog, dials up this tension even more.
    — Tim Carman, Washington Post, 10 July 2023
  • In Jordan, one of only two countries that has a peace treaty with Israel, tension has risen along with the death toll in Gaza.
    — Greg Myre, NPR, 6 Apr. 2024
  • Its swooping curves and cantilevered body wraps around a crimson red cast-iron plate that holds 21 tons of string tension.
    — Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 5 Apr. 2024
  • Frequent use of clip-ins can lead to stress, tension, headaches, and, in some cases, traction alopecia.
    — Jasmine Washington, seventeen.com, 5 Apr. 2023
  • At the end of the day, or at least every few days, just remember to rinse your baby hairs and start again to avoid breakage and tension.
    — India Espy-Jones, Essence, 24 Aug. 2023
  • When a Quran goes up in flames during the shoot, the Arab extras on set are outraged, resulting in a set fraught with tension.
    — Ed Meza, Variety, 18 Feb. 2024
  • But amid a year of strikes, tension simmered in industries that weren’t backed by strong unions and found themselves back at square one.
    — Jane Thier, Fortune, 22 Dec. 2023
  • The trailer certainly evokes the anxieties and tension of the true story.
    — Armen Sarkissian, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2023
  • That continuous pulling can lead to tension alopecia which is hair loss due to tension on the scalp.
    — Tayler Adigun, Allure, 25 Mar. 2024
  • The escalating tensions were felt in the forest that winter.
    — Hilary Beaumont, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2023
  • Blinken went to China for a two-day trip last month to cool tensions between Beijing and Washington.
    — Peter Alexander, NBC News, 21 July 2023
  • Our nation has never been able to resolve this tension.
    — Nikole Hannah-Jones, New York Times, 13 Mar. 2024
  • As both queens refuse to back down from their first choice, Plane Jane finally breaks the tension by calling for a high-stakes game of rock, paper, scissors for the role.
    — Stephen Daw, Billboard, 15 Feb. 2024
  • The tension between these two greats is palpable, as Portman checks up the dust that has already settled in their lives.
    — The Glamour Editors, Glamour, 26 Dec. 2023
  • His cozy relations with Youngkin have caused tension with other Democrats, but the city needs help, Parham said, and that fact eclipses politics.
    — Gregory S. Schneider, Washington Post, 4 Oct. 2023
  • Like a good horror flick, Returnal is atmospheric and moody, with just the right amount of tension.
    — Brandon Widder, The Verge, 26 Apr. 2023
  • But also a little anxious as well, because there’s a lot of tension, a lot of people not liking people.
    — Sharareh Drury, Variety, 17 Apr. 2024
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tension

2 of 2 verb
  • At the Richmond yard, workers are learning to tension the cables and fasten the struts before building the real net over the bay.
    — Rachel Swan, SFChronicle.com, 12 Dec. 2019
  • Post-tensioning Workers must complete the post-tensioning of the bridge segments.
    — Anna Beahm | Abeahm@al.com, al, 23 Oct. 2019
  • Engineers not working on the project have speculated that the cracks may have led to adjusting the post-tensioning cables, which strengthen the concrete against the stress of being pulled, and caused the failure.
    — Jenny Staletovich, miamiherald, 21 Mar. 2018
  • The left and right buttons should have individual switches inside the mouse, tensioned to register rapid clicks, and reinforced to withstand more frequent clicks than a normal mouse might.
    — Jess Grey, WIRED, 17 Aug. 2019
  • The rear corners and vestibules must be tensioned to maximize interior volume, vestibule volume, and weather resistance.
    — Andrew Skurka, Outside Online, 28 June 2018
  • Big Agnes’ marketing material will often reference the Tiger Wall’s trail weight, but this is not a practical weight, since its performance is greatly diminished if the rear corners and vestibules are not tensioned.
    — Andrew Skurka, Outside Online, 28 June 2018
  • The buttons are satisfying and sturdy, with mechanically tensioned springs underneath both the left and right buttons and separate keyplates for accuracy.
    — Jess Grey, WIRED, 17 Aug. 2019
  • At the Richmond yard, workers are learning to tension the cables and fasten the struts before building the real net over the bay.
    — Rachel Swan, SFChronicle.com, 12 Dec. 2019
  • Post-tensioning Workers must complete the post-tensioning of the bridge segments.
    — Anna Beahm | Abeahm@al.com, al, 23 Oct. 2019
  • Engineers not working on the project have speculated that the cracks may have led to adjusting the post-tensioning cables, which strengthen the concrete against the stress of being pulled, and caused the failure.
    — Jenny Staletovich, miamiherald, 21 Mar. 2018
  • The left and right buttons should have individual switches inside the mouse, tensioned to register rapid clicks, and reinforced to withstand more frequent clicks than a normal mouse might.
    — Jess Grey, WIRED, 17 Aug. 2019
  • The rear corners and vestibules must be tensioned to maximize interior volume, vestibule volume, and weather resistance.
    — Andrew Skurka, Outside Online, 28 June 2018
  • Big Agnes’ marketing material will often reference the Tiger Wall’s trail weight, but this is not a practical weight, since its performance is greatly diminished if the rear corners and vestibules are not tensioned.
    — Andrew Skurka, Outside Online, 28 June 2018
  • The buttons are satisfying and sturdy, with mechanically tensioned springs underneath both the left and right buttons and separate keyplates for accuracy.
    — Jess Grey, WIRED, 17 Aug. 2019

Some of 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.

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