a set of forms taken by a verb to indicate the time and sometimes also the continuance or completeness of the action in relation to the time of the utterance., in a state of nervousness, anxiety, or irritation, to make or become tense

on tenterhooks, make someone tense, cut the tension with a knife

future tense, past tense, present tense

Formal and Informal Expressions of tense

In different contexts, you can replace 'tense' with suitable alternatives. In a more formal setting, 'anxious, nervous' is apt. In informal speech or writing, 'uptight, jittery' is a commonplace synonym.

tense: Explore its Definition & Usage

tense Definition

1a set of forms taken by a verb to indicate the time and sometimes also the continuance or completeness of the action in relation to the time of the utterance.
2in a state of nervousness, anxiety, or irritation
3to make or become tense

Using tense: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "tense" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

Example
The present tense of the verb 'to be' is 'am/are/is'.
Example
She was feeling tense before her exam.
Example
He tensed his muscles before lifting the heavy box.
Example
The atmosphere in the room was tense.

tense Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for tense

Antonyms for tense

Idioms Using tense

on tenterhooks
in a state of suspense or agitation because of uncertainty about a future event
Example
She was on tenterhooks waiting for the results of her job interview.
make someone tense
to cause someone to feel nervous or anxious
Example
The thought of public speaking always makes me tense.
cut the tension with a knife
to describe an atmosphere that is extremely tense or uncomfortable
Example
The tension in the room was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Phrases with tense

future tense
a grammatical tense that refers to actions or events that have not yet happened but are expected or planned to happen at some point in the future
Example
In the sentence 'I will go to the store tomorrow,' the verb 'will go' is in the future tense.
past tense
a grammatical tense that refers to actions or events that have already happened in the past
Example
In the sentence 'She walked to the park yesterday,' the verb 'walked' is in the past tense.
present tense
a grammatical tense that refers to actions or events that are happening now or that occur regularly
Example
In the sentence 'I eat breakfast every morning,' the verb 'eat' is in the present tense.

Origins of tense

from Latin 'tempus', meaning 'time'

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Summary: tense in Brief

The term 'tense' [tens] has multiple meanings. As a noun, it refers to a grammatical form of verbs that indicates the time of the action. As an adjective, it describes a state of nervousness, anxiety, or irritation. As a verb, it means to make or become tense. Examples include 'The present tense of the verb 'to be' is 'am/are/is'.' and 'She was feeling tense before her exam.' Idioms like 'on tenterhooks' and 'cut the tension with a knife' describe tense atmospheres.