- present participle of tense.
tensing
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.
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
"I was shocked and a little embarrassed at how quickly the game had me tensing my arms and starting to feel achy about going up a virtual mountain!" he laughs.
From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2023
Then, tensing, digging his nails into soil, he murmurs, “Tell me what happened.”
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
