Definition

1. Noun:
   • The action of stretching something tight: The state of being stretched or pulled taut.
   • Feelings of hostility or opposition that are not openly expressed: A strained relationship or atmosphere between people, groups, or nations.
   • (Physics) A stress that produces elongation of an elastic body: A force that tends to stretch or extend a material.
   • A balance between opposing elements or tendencies: A state of opposition or interplay between conflicting ideas, forces, or factors, often creating interest or suspense.
   • The physical condition of being stretched or strained: The state of tightness or strain in a muscle, rope, wire, etc.
   • (Psychology) A state of mental or emotional strain or suspense: A feeling of nervousness, anxiety, or mental pressure.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The tension in the rope was enough to support the weight. (The rope was stretched tight.)
  • There was a lot of tension in the room after the argument. (There was an unspoken feeling of hostility.)
  • Calculate the tension on the bridge cable. (Calculate the stretching force.)
  • The novel uses the tension between love and duty to drive the plot. (It uses the conflict between two ideas.)
  • She felt a tension in her neck muscles. (She felt tightness in her muscles.)
  • The constant deadlines create a lot of tension for the team. (They create mental strain.)

Advanced Usage

• "To ease/reduce tension": To lessen feelings of strain or hostility.
  • A joke can help ease tension in a difficult meeting.
• "High-tension": Describing something under great strain or, in electricity, high voltage.
  • High-tension wires carry electricity over long distances. (This is a compound adjective; the target word 'tension' here refers to electrical potential.)
• "Creative tension": A positive state of conflict between ideas that leads to innovation.
  • The creative tension between the two designers resulted in a brilliant product.

Variants and Related Words

• Tense (adj.): Stretched tight; feeling or showing nervous strain.
  • She felt tense before her presentation.
• Tensile (adj.): Related to tension or the capacity to be stretched.
  • Steel has high tensile strength.
• Hypertension (n.): Medically, high blood pressure. (A compound word where 'tension' refers to pressure.)

Synonyms

• Strain: Physical or mental pressure.
• Stress: A state of mental or emotional strain; (in physics) a force applied to an object.
• Tautness: The quality of being stretched tight.
• Hostility: Unfriendly or antagonistic feelings.

Related Phrases

• Under tension: In a state of being stretched or under strain.
  • The cable is under immense tension.
• Tension mounts/increases: The feeling of strain or suspense grows stronger.
  • Tension mounted as they awaited the final score.

Related Idioms

• Palm-sweating tension: Used to describe a situation causing extreme nervousness or suspense.
  • The final match was palm-sweating tension until the last second.
• To break the tension: To do or say something that relieves a strained atmosphere.
  • He told a funny story to break the tension.

Noun

1. the action of stretching something tight
   • tension holds the belt in the pulleys
2. feelings of hostility that are not manifest
   • he could sense her latent hostility to him
   • the diplomats' first concern was to reduce international tensions
3. (physics) a stress that produces an elongation of an elastic physical body
   • the direction of maximum tension moves asymptotically toward the direction of the shear
4. a balance between and interplay of opposing elements or tendencies (especially in art or literature)
   • there is a tension created between narrative time and movie time
   • there is a tension between these approaches to understanding history
5. the physical condition of being stretched or strained
   • it places great tension on the leg muscles
   • he could feel the tenseness of her body
6. (psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
   • he suffered from fatigue and emotional tension
   • stress is a vasoconstrictor