tension

American  

[ten-shuhn] / ˈtɛn ʃən /

noun

tensions plural

1. the act of stretching or straining.

2. the state of being stretched or strained.

3. mental or emotional strain; intense, suppressed suspense, anxiety, or excitement.

4. a strained relationship between individuals, groups, nations, etc.

5. (not in current use) pressure, especially of a vapor.

6. Mechanics.

   1. the longitudinal deformation of an elastic body that results in its elongation.

   2. the force producing such deformation.

7. Electricity. electromotive force; potential.

8. Machinery. a device for stretching or pulling something.

9. a device to hold the proper tension on the material being woven in a loom.

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verb (used with object)

1. to subject (a cable, belt, tendon, or the like) to tension, especially for a specific purpose.

tension British  

/ ˈtɛnʃən /

noun

1. the act of stretching or the state or degree of being stretched

2. mental or emotional strain; stress

3. a situation or condition of hostility, suspense, or uneasiness

4. physics a force that tends to produce an elongation of a body or structure

5. physics

   1. voltage, electromotive force, or potential difference

   2. ( in combination )

      high-tension

      low-tension

6. a device for regulating the tension in a part, string, thread, etc, as in a sewing machine

7. knitting the degree of tightness or looseness with which a person knits

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tension Scientific  

/ tĕn′shən /

1. A force that tends to stretch or elongate something.

2. An electrical potential (voltage), especially as measured in electrical components such as transformers or power lines involved in the transmission of electrical power.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overtension
  noun
• supertension
  noun
• tensional
  adjective
• tensionless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• tensions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of tension

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin tēnsiōn-, stem of tēnsiō, “a stretching,” equivalent to tēns(us) “stretched” (past participle of tendere “to stretch, extend, proceed”; see tend ¹) + -iō -ion

Explanation

When things feel so tight they might snap, that's tension. If you buy your girlfriend a vacuum cleaner when she wanted diamonds, you will experience tension. Just before she storms out of the room. The noun tension has its Latin roots in tendere, which means to stretch, and tension occurs when something is stretched either physically or emotionally. Strained relations between countries can cause political tensions to rise. You can add tension to a rubber band by stretching it tight. You can release nervous tension by releasing that tension in the rubber band, when you shoot it at your brother.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tension tensions

The tension on “The French Chef” was about a massacred bûche de noël or whether that roast-chicken-to-come was being abused.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026

It can create solidarity, ease tension and help people endure moments of fear.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

According to GfE, gravity emerges from an informational tension between the actual spacetime metric and another metric produced by matter fields and spacetime curvature.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 21, 2026

Kuhn, Schiller writes, understood “the tension between the social so-called nothingness of old age and its vibrant realities.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

The mood of the group became as gloomy as Tartarus air, until Piper broke the tension.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Wang called for an early resumption of negotiations and the implementation of a memorandum of understanding aimed at easing tensions in the Middle East and the Gulf region, Xinhua reported.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

At the same time, the company cautioned that volatile macroeconomic conditions, geopolitical conflicts and global trade tensions pose heightened risks to freight demand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

UK average mortgage rates have risen back to the level of a month ago as renewed tensions in the Middle East feed through to homeowners.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

Since 2022, the two sides have been in a stalemate, though tensions have been rising again in recent months.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

This would be his crowning achievement—a thawing of Cold War tensions.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• anxiety
• apprehension
• concern
• discomfort
• hostility
• jitters
• nervousness
• pressure
• strain
• suspense
• unease
• worry