Synonyms for tense

Noun

1. tense, grammatical category, syntactic category

usage: a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time

Verb

1. strain, tense, tighten

usage: stretch or force to the limit; "strain the rope"

2. tense, change, alter, modify

usage: increase the tension on; "tense a rope"

3. tense, tense up, change state, turn

usage: become tense or tenser; "He tensed up when he saw his opponent enter the room"

4. tense, strain, tense up, affect

usage: make tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious;

Adjective

1. tense (vs. relaxed), aroused, wound up, cliff-hanging, suspenseful, suspensive, nail-biting, drawn, taut, edgy, high-strung, highly strung, in suspense(predicate), jittery, jumpy, nervy, overstrung, restive, uptight, electric, isotonic, nervous, strained, unrelaxed, pumped-up(prenominal), pumped up(predicate), pumped(predicate), wired, agitated, uneasy

usage: in or of a state of physical or nervous tension

2. tense (vs. lax), constricted

usage: pronounced with relatively tense tongue muscles (e.g., the vowel sound in `beat')

3. tense (vs. lax), overstrung, taut, tight, tight

usage: taut or rigid; stretched tight; "tense piano strings"