tense up
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.
"I saw him tense up a little bit, but the balls were quite old there, so every rally was a war."
From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026
About ten times each day, giant freight trains pass along a narrow section of track along the Sacramento River in far northern California where engineers on the locomotives regularly tense up with stress.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 1, 2025
"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
And pressuring yourself to do it right can cause you to tense up and make breathing deeply harder.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 17, 2023
Hearing Rockit say that made me tense up.
From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore
