tensely — in a way that shows nervousness, anxiety, or stress; with tension or strain
Part of speech: ADVERB
Definition: in a way that shows nervousness, anxiety, or stress; with tension or strain
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈtensli/
Example Sentences
- The cat watched the dog tensely, ready to run at any moment.
- He gripped the steering wheel tensely during his first driving test.
- Everyone sat tensely in the movie theater during the horror scene.
tensely
ADVERB[/ˈtensli/]
in a way that shows nervousness, anxiety, or stress; with tension or strain
The two teams waited tensely for the final result.
The student stood tensely before giving a speech to the class. (IN A TENSE WAY → acting in a tense way)
The contestants waited tensely, watched intensely, and finally heard the winner's name.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Derived from Latin tensus, meaning 'stretched tight' or 'taut,' which itself comes from the verb tendere (to stretch). The English adjective 'tense' adopted this sense of physical or emotional tightness, and the adverbial suffix '-ly' was added to form the adverb 'tensely,' describing an action or state performed with tension or strain.
Breakdown
tense (from Latin tensus, meaning stretched or tight) + -ly (adverbial suffix indicating manner or state).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The cat watched the dog tensely, ready to run at any moment.”
“He gripped the steering wheel tensely during his first driving test.”
“Everyone sat tensely in the movie theater during the horror scene.”
“My mom tensely watched me eat the expired yogurt I found in the fridge.”
📚Related Words
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