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Tense: meaning, definitions and examples

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tense

 

[ tɛns ]

Noun / Adjective
Context #1 | Noun

grammar

A form of a verb that shows the time of an action or a state of being. In English, there are three main tenses: past, present, and future.

Synonyms

time form, verb form

Examples of usage

  • He walks to school every day. (present tense)
  • She sang a song yesterday. (past tense)
  • They will visit us tomorrow. (future tense)
Context #2 | Adjective

tension

Causing mental or emotional stress.

Synonyms

anxious, nervous, strained

Examples of usage

  • His tense expression indicated his worry.
  • The atmosphere in the room was tense.

Etymology

The word 'tense' originated from the Latin word 'tempus', meaning 'time'. It entered English in the 14th century with the specific grammatical sense of verb inflections indicating time relations. Over time, 'tense' has also come to be used in a broader sense to describe mental or emotional stress, reflecting the concept of time pressure leading to anxiety.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,791 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.