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

During the final activation, Fuentes told investigators that he saw Anderson tense up, which he interpreted as an attempt to prevent officers from handcuffing him.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 25, 2023

"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

Mom stares at it, and I tense up, ready for her to tell me to cross it out and write “Frankie” instead.

From "The Wrong Way Home" by Kate O’Shaughnessy