tense up

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"I saw him tense up a little bit, but the balls were quite old there, so every rally was a war."

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026

When one student appears to tense up with each trigger pull, Nguyen offers advice that could refer to meditation as easily as firearms, urging them to stop anticipating each shot and “let the gun decide.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2024

Jessi Gold, a psychiatrist based in Tennessee, is trying to use social media mindfully, mostly by actively noticing when she’s starting to tense up or grind her teeth.

From Slate • Jan. 4, 2024

"We ignore them during the day, but our souls tense up when they ring at night," said resident Daniela Tanase.

From Reuters • Sep. 5, 2023

After a while I would tense up anytime Mrs. Conway called on me.

From "Bad Boy" by Walter Dean Myers