tense
adjective
stretched tight, as a cord, fiber, etc.; drawn taut; rigid.
were tensing
-
past progressiveof tense.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
My muscles were tensing at the torrent of oversharing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Foot by foot, we pushed and pulled the wagon with Dragonwings up the hill, its wings dipping and bobbing as if it were tensing itself.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
Something of this was passing in confusion through his mind while his more conscious faculties were tensing his body for the fatal impact he knew must come.
From The Finding of Haldgren by Charles Willard Diffin
But here in the storage vault nothing should have moved, and Gefty's muscles were tensing as his head came around.
From The Winds of Time by Adolph E. Brotman
