# tension

/ˈtɛnʃən/ (US) · /tˈɛnʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tension
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. social or political conflict

noun · CEFR B2

a feeling of fear or anger between two groups of people who do not trust each other.

For teachers: a state of latent hostility or opposition between individuals, groups, or nations.

- There was a lot of tension in the office after the manager announced the new rules.
- Diplomatic tensions between the two neighbouring countries escalated following the disagreement over maritime borders and fishing rights.

### 2. physical tightness

noun · CEFR B2

the state of being stretched tight, like a rope or a wire.

For teachers: the condition of being held in a state between two or more opposing forces; the state of an elastic object being stretched.

- Adjust the tension on the guitar string until it plays the right note.
- The engineer calculated the maximum tension the suspension cables could withstand before the structural integrity of the bridge was compromised.

### 3. mental stress

noun · CEFR B2

a feeling of being nervous or worried that makes it difficult to relax.

For teachers: a psychological state of being stretched or strained; mental or emotional strain.

- Yoga is a great way to release the tension in your body after a long day.
- The constant pressure of meeting quarterly targets created a palpable sense of tension among the senior staff.

### 4. suspense in art

noun · CEFR B2

the excitement or fear you feel when you don't know what will happen next in a story.

For teachers: the controlled release of information in a narrative to create a feeling of nervousness or excitement in the audience.

- The music in the film helped build the tension before the monster appeared.
- The director masterfully maintained the dramatic tension throughout the second act, leaving the audience uncertain of the protagonist's fate until the final scene.

### 5. voltage

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a technical word for electrical power or voltage.

For teachers: the potential difference between two points in an electrical circuit.

- The warning sign on the fence said 'Danger: High Tension'.
- The laboratory was equipped with high-tension wires to facilitate experiments requiring significant electrical discharge.

### 6. to make tight

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to pull something until it is tight.

For teachers: to apply force to an object so that it becomes or remains taut.

- You need to tension the belt correctly so the machine runs smoothly.
- Before the final inspection, the technicians must tension the structural bolts to the exact specifications provided by the manufacturer.

## Examples

- You can feel the tension in the room.
- The bridge design accounts for the extreme tension placed on the steel cables during high winds.
- Diplomatic efforts were aimed at reducing the growing tension between the two nations before the border dispute escalated into a full-scale military conflict.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.