tense Antonyms
Opposite of tense
• adjective (Context 1)
Unable to relax because of nervousness, anxiety, or emotional strain; feeling or showing mental stress.
"She felt relaxed as she waited in the lobby for her job interview to begin."
• adjective (Context 2)
Stretched tight or rigid; not slack or loose (especially of a muscle, rope, or cord).
"A soothing massage helped relieve the slack muscles in his shoulders."
• adjective (Context 3)
Characterized by suspense, friction, or barely suppressed hostility (of a situation, atmosphere, or relationship).
"Negotiations between the two boards remained peaceful throughout the afternoon."
• verb (Context 4)
To make or become tight, rigid, or contracted (especially of muscles or the body).
"He instinctively tensed his shoulders against the sudden blast of cold wind."
• verb (Context 5)
To become anxious, nervous, or mentally strained in response to stress or anticipation.
"The entire audience tensed as the acrobat stepped onto the high wire."
• adjective (Context 6)
Produced with a relatively high degree of muscular effort in the vocal tract and tongue (of a speech sound, especially a vowel).
"In English phonetics, the vowel sound in 'beat' is classified as lax compared to the vowel in 'bit'."
Similar words to tense
Words similar to tense shift depending on context. Common synonyms include: