tension

/ˈtenʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtenʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈten(t)-shən/ (ame, mw)

tension — 名詞

  • tensionsingular
  • tensionsplural

1. the worried or anxious feeling that people experience when they are about to fac

1.名詞B1
釋義

緊張

重要事件前的焦慮感

the worried or anxious feeling that people experience when they are about to face something stressful, like an interview, an exam, or an important performance

例句

The night before her driving test, Sari felt so much tension that she could not sleep.

考駕照的前一晚，Sari 緊張得睡不著覺。

felt tension before [event]

Omar took three long, slow breaths to relieve the tension before his speech.

Omar 在演講前深深地吸了三口氣來緩解緊張。

relieve tension collocation

同義詞
  • stress

    more about long-term mental pressure rather than the immediate nervous feeling before a specific event

  • anxiety

    a deeper, more lasting feeling of worry; less tied to a single upcoming event

  • nervousness

    lighter than tension; a mild, temporary feeling of being uneasy before something

反義詞
  • calm

    a state of being relaxed and free from worry or nervousness

  • relaxation

    the opposite of the tight, alert feeling that tension brings

文法句型

uncountable noun

用法筆記

Typically uncountable. Common verb partners include feel, cause, create, reduce, relieve, and ease. Often paired with rising or building to describe the feeling becoming stronger.

常見錯誤

❌I feel a lot of tension about my job every day.
✅I feel a lot of stress about my job every day.
💡Tension refers to the nervous feeling before a specific event; stress refers to ongoing pressure from work or life.
❌I had a tension before my test.
✅I felt tense before my test.
💡Tension is uncountable and not used with 'a'; use the adjective 'tense' for describing how someone feels.

2. a state of unfriendliness or anger that exists between different groups, such as

2.名詞B1
釋義

緊張；對立

群體之間的不信任與敵意

a state of unfriendliness or anger that exists between different groups, such as ethnic communities, political parties, or countries, when there is little trust between them

例句

The tension between the two political parties made it nearly impossible to pass new laws.

兩個政黨之間的緊張關係使得通過新法律幾乎不可能。

tension between [groups]

Religious tension in the region had been growing for many years before the conflict began.

該地區的宗教緊張局勢在衝突爆發前已經持續醞釀多年。

religious / racial / political + tension

同義詞
  • hostility

    stronger and more active than tension; suggests open anger or aggressive behavior

  • conflict

    more active than tension; refers to actual fighting or serious disagreement rather than just a strained atmosphere

  • friction

    milder than tension; describes small, ongoing disagreements that cause annoyance

反義詞
  • harmony

    a state of peaceful agreement and cooperation between groups

  • peace

    the absence of conflict, anger, or hostility between groups or nations

文法句型

uncountable noun

often followed by between

用法筆記

Frequently modified by adjectives naming the source of conflict: racial, political, social, ethnic, religious. Can be used in the plural (tensions) when referring to multiple sources or instances of conflict. The preposition between is the most common partner, but over can specify the cause of the tension.

常見錯誤

❌There was a tension between John and me about the project.
✅There was some tension between John and me about the project.
💡Tension is uncountable; do not use 'a' before it.
❌The tension in the two countries was high.
✅The tension between the two countries was high.
💡Use 'between', not 'in', when referring to a relationship.

3. the state of a material, such as a rope, cable, or piece of fabric, being pulled

3.名詞B1
釋義

張力；繃緊

物體被拉緊的狀態或拉力

the state of a material, such as a rope, cable, or piece of fabric, being pulled so that it is straight and tight, or the amount of pull applied to keep it that way

例句

The climber checked the tension of the rope before beginning the steep climb.

攀岩者在上攀之前先檢查了繩子的張力。

tension of [rope / cable / wire]

The violin player adjusted the tension of the strings to produce a clearer sound.

小提琴手調整了琴弦的張力，讓音色更清澈。

adjust the tension collocation

同義詞
  • tightness

    a more everyday word for how tightly stretched something is; less technical than tension

  • strain

    focuses on the stress or pressure this pulling creates on the material, rather than the degree of stretch

  • tautness

    more formal; describes the condition of being pulled firmly straight without looseness

反義詞
  • slack

    the opposite of tension; describes a rope or cable that is loose rather than pulled tight

  • looseness

    the condition of not being firmly fixed or stretched

文法句型

uncountable noun

countable noun for specific measurements

用法筆記

In physics and engineering contexts, tension is a measurable force and can be used as a countable noun (the tensions in the bridge supports). In everyday language, it is usually uncountable. Common verbs: increase, reduce, release, adjust, maintain.

常見錯誤

❌The tension of the rope was very strong.
✅The tension of the rope was very high.
💡In English, tension is described as high or low, not strong or weak.
❌The rope needs more tense.
✅The rope needs more tension.
💡'Tense' is an adjective, not a noun; 'tension' is the correct noun form.

4. the excited or uncertain feeling that a story, film, play, or piece of music cre

4.名詞B2
釋義

懸疑；緊張感

文藝作品中營造的懸念氛圍

the excited or uncertain feeling that a story, film, play, or piece of music creates in the people watching or listening, usually because they do not yet know how things will turn out

例句

The director built up the tension slowly so that the audience stayed on the edge of their seats.

導演慢慢鋪陳懸疑感，讓觀眾從頭到尾都坐立不安。

build (up) tension — common artistic collocation

The writer used short, sharp sentences to create tension in the final chapter of her novel.

那位作家在小說最後一章用簡短而犀利的句子來製造緊張感。

create tension in [work] pattern

同義詞
  • suspense

    very close in meaning; more specific to the feeling of not knowing what will happen next in a story

  • excitement

    broader and more positive than tension; does not carry the same edge of worry or uncertainty

  • drama

    refers to the overall emotional intensity or conflict in a work, not specifically the uncertain feeling tension describes

文法句型

uncountable noun

用法筆記

Frequently paired with dramatic, narrative, or musical to specify the type of work. Common in reviews and literary criticism. The verbs build, create, increase, and maintain are the most typical collocates.

常見錯誤

❌The movie had a lot of tension.
✅The movie built tension effectively.
💡Native speakers more often describe how the tension was created or maintained rather than just stating it existed.
❌There was tension in the book.
✅The author used short chapters to create tension in the book.
💡Pairing tension with a technique makes the sentence more natural and informative.

tension — 動詞