tense
tense
noun
A grammatical category indicating the time of a verb's action or state.
"English has past, present, and future tenses."
verb
To become or make something or someone stretched tight, rigid, or nervous.
"He tensed his body, ready to jump."
adjective
Feeling or causing nervousness, anxiety, or mental strain.
"The atmosphere in the room was tense."
Thesaurus
Synonyms: tense up, constricted, itchy, wound up, pumped, jittery, restless, nervous, fidgety, restive, strained, nail-biting
Antonyms: decompress, lax, loosen up, make relaxed, relax, relaxed, slow down, unbend, unlax, unstrain, unwind