tensed
Muscles went tight
Tensed is the past tense and past participle of tense, describing muscles or a body that has become tight and rigid, often in anticipation of action or due to stress.
She tensed as the door creaked open.
His shoulders tensed at the mention of her name.
The word captures that moment of physical tightening that accompanies alertness, anxiety, or preparation for something difficult.
Made more secure
- contractedReduced in size
- flexedContracted a muscle
- clenchedContracted with force
- stiffenedMade or became rigid
taut · rigid · braced · strained · locked · hardened · firm · coiled
tightened
Made more secure
- contractedReduced in size
- flexedContracted a muscle
- clenchedContracted with force
stiffened · taut · rigid · braced · strained · locked · hardened · firm · coiled · constricted
nervous
Uneasy and apprehensive
- apprehensiveFearful of future events
- worriedTroubled by uncertainty
- uneasyTroubled, not calm
jittery · edgy · restless · agitated · antsy · fidgety · panicky · overwrought · fraught · distressed
conjugated
Given grammatical endings
- tightnesstight, taut, snug, constricting, compressed
- texturessmoothness, smooth, soft, rough, roughness
tensedrelaxed
Free of stress
calm · at ease · unwound · decompressed · chilled out
- tense upBecome rigid from stress
- past tenseVerb form for before
- high tensionElevated electrical potential
- present tenseVerb form indicating now
- romantic tensionUnresolved mutual attraction
- simple tensesUncompounded verb forms
intense, tense, tension, intensity, intensely, tenses, tensing, tenser, tensest