tense

That all changed as he was recruited as a traitor, bringing much-needed energy to the turret - and he made it all the way through to Friday night’s tense final.

From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026

South Africa is seeking "direct dialogue" with Washington to break a stalemate in tense diplomatic ties, the ambassador told AFP Monday, as Pretoria sought to avoid exclusion from a key US-Africa trade deal.

From Barron's ● Oct. 26, 2026

“It’s a more geopolitically tense time and France has this strategic capacity,” said Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

And people are tense about their job prospects, with many staying where they are for now because hiring is tepid.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 20, 2026

I felt the room go tense with anticipation.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

“When I’m frustrated and my eyes roll and my voice tenses, they feel that,” he said.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026

Mr. Drout analyzes with clarity and humor Tolkien’s fascination with Finnish grammar, the distinctive ways he uses pronouns and the particular verb tenses he favors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025

As the ants start to attack, the larva tenses its muscles and expels a drop of bright red fluid known as hemolymph.

From Science Magazine ● Mar. 15, 2024

Viramontes’ prose jumps between tenses, perspectives and styles so much you find yourself reading each story multiple times — to understand it but also to sit in awe of her gorgeous dexterity.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 11, 2023

I know what she means, despite her tenses.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

“As the night progressed, it got tenser and tenser. There were just more cops on all sides. It felt like we were being slowly pushed in and crushed,” said Ocean Muir, a sophomore.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 25, 2024

And this reaction evokes the challenge CNN faces as its news team barrels into a national election cycle that's already looking tenser and more fraught than 2020's or 2022's nailbiters.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2023

Things got tenser when Hyundai and LG Energy Solution announced a $4.3 billion electric battery plant in May at Hyundai’s new complex.

From Washington Times ● Jun. 27, 2023

The atmosphere among the home fans turned slightly tenser when Brighton halved the deficit, but the noise increased to thunderous levels again after the two late goals removed any lingering doubts.

From BBC ● May 18, 2023

“Four, three, two . “Oppenheimer, on whom had rested a very heavy burden, grew tenser as the last seconds ticked off,” remembered Farrell.

From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin

But combine that with spectacular writing, which delivered one of the tensest season finales in recent memory, and I’m anxious to find out what’s next.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 23, 2022

Norway's prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre describes this as the tensest security situation the country has faced in decades.

From BBC ● Nov. 18, 2022

The tensest moment of the debate was when Bolsonaro called da Silva to stand next to him as he answered a question.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 29, 2022

The genuine tenderness between them, undergirding even their tensest interactions, is ultimately what makes their co-starring turns so memorable.

From New York Times ● Oct. 21, 2022

He speaks in the tensest voice I’ve ever heard him use.

From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez

When her sister, Rowe, walked in that morning, she found Waldorf with her eyes wide and glazed over, her jaw tensed.

From Salon ● May 27, 2026

Giving evidence at Liverpool Crown Court, Amaaz said he tensed up as he was grabbed by the arm and recognised it was a police officer when he turned round.

From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026

It was too expensive to keep the fibers tensed all the time, plus it interfered with the electricity—but for earthquake-length bursts of time, the building and its occupants would be safe.

From Slate ● Jan. 27, 2024

Back in El Segundo the crowds tensed up.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2023

Immediately, Tiamat tensed her legs, as if to launch herself at the cat.

From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville

My muscles were tensing at the torrent of oversharing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

After a difficult doctor’s appointment with her mother recently, Thompson says she felt her whole body tensing up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 29, 2025

"Sometimes, I catch myself tensing up," Justin said.

From Salon ● Oct. 1, 2023

“I’m tensing up. There’s a lot of stuff I can do to protect myself.”

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 8, 2023

Farid felt Silvertongue tensing every muscle—as if he wanted to run to his daughter, who looked almost as pale as her dress.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke