tense up

VERB

stress

Synonyms

STRONG

afflict burden crunch distend force fret hassle overdo overextend pull spring strain stretch tense traumatize worry

WEAK

put in traction put on trial

Antonyms

STRONG

aid calm comfort compress concentrate help placate soothe

WEAK

attenuate reduce relax

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

tense up

A close watch of the recap video shows her body tense up as she pushes out the egg.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 25, 2026

"We ignore them during the day, but our souls tense up when they ring at night," said resident Daniela Tanase.

From Reuters ● Sep. 5, 2023

We often play Brianstorm near the beginning and I have to try not to tense up too much for that very reason.

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2023

And pressuring yourself to do it right can cause you to tense up and make breathing deeply harder.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 17, 2023

I think I did a great job editing, but I tense up, knowing that my part is coming up.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh