ten
sion
Plural
tensions
1
(psychology) a strong feeling of stress or pressure
- The tension before her job interview made her palms sweat.
- Family gatherings often create tension between siblings with clashing opinions.
- Chronic tension from work led to his insomnia.
- The therapist noticed the couple's tension as they avoided eye contact.
- Social media debates thrive on manufactured tension and outrage.
3
(physics) the state of being under pressure as a result of getting stretched
- The tension in the rope increased as the weight was lifted.
- The rubber band snapped under too much tension.
- The tension in the cable supporting the elevator must exceed the maximum load.
- Calculate the tension in the wire if a 5 kg mass hangs vertically (answer: ~49 N).
- When two teams tug a rope equally, the tension at the center is zero.
4
a strained situation resulted from an interplay of dramatic forces in a literary or artistic piece
- The tension between the protagonist and villain kept readers on edge.
- Hitchcock mastered cinematic tension through pacing and music.
- The play's romantic tension made the audience ache for a resolution.
- The painter used contrasting colors to create visual tension in the composition.
- The unresolved tension in the poem's final line left it hauntingly open-ended.
5
the action of stretching something tight
6
hidden animosity or unexpressed conflict between people, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere
- The tension between the coworkers was palpable, though neither spoke a harsh word.
- Family dinners were filled with tension after the inheritance dispute.
- A smirk from her rival added to the tension backstage before the debate.
- The ceasefire held, but political tension simmered beneath the surface.
- Their polite handshake couldn't mask years of tension.
Synonyms:
7
the nervous and excited feeling created while reading or watching a piece