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tension Definition

ten·sion (tens̸hən)

noun

  1. a tensing or being tensed
  2. mental or nervous strain, often accompanied by muscular tautness
  3. a state of strained relations; uneasiness due to mutual hostility
  4. a device for regulating tension or tautness, as of thread in a sewing machine
  5. voltage
  6. loosely the expansive force, or pressure, of a gas or vapor
    1. stress on a material produced by the pull of forces tending to cause extension
    2. a force or combination of forces exerting such a pull against the resistance of the material
  7. a balancing of forces or elements in opposition

Etymology: < MFr or L: MFr < L tensio < tensus: see tense

transitive verb

to subject to tension

tension Related Forms

ten·sional adjective

tension Synonyms

tension

n.

  1. Stress

    tautness, force, tightness; see balance 2, stress 2.

  2. Mental stress

    pressure, strain, anxiety; see stress 3.

tension Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • relieve: To find out more, I'm off to get my pension, Talking in the queue will help relieve the tension.
  • heighten: Two added ingredients heightened the tension for the investigating police, who were under increasing pressure with every murder to make an arrest.
  • defuse: They can talk to them on their levels and defuse the tensions.
  • ease: There were a number of changes to relax the rules surrounding tax credits in an attempt to ease the tension of the overpayments debacle.
  • exacerbate: But both candidates claimed victory on television, a move seen exacerbating tensions that could lead to market volatility.
  • escalate: Starting in early May 1954, the tensions escalated to strikes.

Preposition: in

peninsula: Bush's proposals increase the tension in the Korean peninsula and have aroused great disquiet in world public opinion.

Adjective modifier

  • racial: Its true aim is to stir up racial tensions.
  • muscular: Using it can improve mental focus and to relieve muscular tension.
  • nervous: I suffered a lot of nervous tension at the back of my head, with slight paranoia.
  • interfacial: The computer is able to carry out up to 12 calculations of the interfacial tension per second.
  • inherent: Do you think there is an inherent tension being the defense secretary in a Labor government?
  • sexual: Their sexual tension has been commented on by almost all the critics.

Modifies a noun

  • pneumothorax: There is no time to do this if tension pneumothorax is suspected.
  • headache: Tension headaches do not usually last for a long time.

Noun used with modifier

  • muscle: We then went on to a second exercise which was the Jacobsen method of muscle tension relaxation.
  • surface: The almost spherical shape is due to the surface tension of the model.
  • cross-strait: Taiwan has been continuing to promote concrete measures, such as passenger and cargo charter flights, to alleviate cross-strait tension.
  • oxygen: In contrast, when the saturation falls below 90 % , the oxygen tension will fall rapidly with falls in oxygen saturation.
  • belt: My husband thinks that it may be the alternator belt tension.

Browse dictionary entries near tension

  1. tensiometer
  2. tensimeter
  3. tensile strength
  4. tensile
  5. tensible
  6. tense
  7. tenrec
  8. tenpounder
  9. tenpins
  10. tenpin
  1. tensity
  2. tensive
  3. tensor
  4. tent
  5. tent caterpillar
  6. tent dress
  7. tent show
  8. tent stitch
  9. tentacle
  10. tentative