Synonyms for tense

verb

• cause to be tense and uneasy or nervous or anxious
• become stretched or tense or taut
• become tense, nervous, or uneasy
• increase the tension on

noun

• a grammatical category of verbs used to express distinctions of time

adjective

• in or of a state of physical or nervous tension
• pronounced with relatively tense tongue muscles (e.g., the vowel sound in `beat')
• taut or rigid; stretched tight