Tense up Meaning in English
expression
ˈtɛns/ /ˈəp
TENS-uhp
tˈɛns/ /ˈʌp
TENS-up
Definition
To make your body or muscles stiff and tight because of nervousness, stress, or fear.
Usage & Nuances
'Tense up' is informal and describes a physical or emotional reaction, often used in stressful or intimidating situations. Common with 'my shoulders tense up' or 'I tense up when...' Not used for objects; only for people or animals.
Spanish: ponerse tenso - tensarsePortuguese (BR): ficar tenso - se tensionarPortuguese (PT): ficar tenso - ficar enrijecidoChinese (Simplified): 紧张起来Chinese (Traditional): 緊張起來Hindi: तनाव में आ जानाArabic: يشد أعصابه - يتوترBengali: কঠিন হয়ে যাওয়া - চরম চাপ অনুভব করা (শরীরের পেশী)Russian: напрягаться - зажиматьсяJapanese: 緊張する - 体がこわばるVietnamese: căng thẳng - căng cứng (cơ thể)Korean: 긴장하다 - 몸이 굳어지다Turkish: gerilmek - kasılmakUrdu: تناؤ میں آ جانا - پٹھے اکڑ جاناIndonesian: menegang - tegang (badan)
Example Sentences
I always tense up before taking a test.
basic
Her shoulders tense up when she is stressed.
basic
Try to relax and not tense up.
basic
I could feel myself tense up the moment I walked into the room.
natural
My jaw always tenses up during job interviews.
natural
Don’t tense up—just breathe and take it easy.
natural