tension

(n) (psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
- he suffered from fatigue and emotional tension
- stress is a vasoconstrictor
stress, tenseness,
(n) the physical condition of being stretched or strained
- it places great tension on the leg muscles
- he could feel the tenseness of her body
tautness, tenseness, tensity,
(n) a balance between and interplay of opposing elements or tendencies (especially in art or literature)
- there is a tension created between narrative time and movie time
- there is a tension between these approaches to understanding history
(n) (physics) a stress that produces an elongation of an elastic physical body
- the direction of maximum tension moves asymptotically toward the direction of the shear
(n) feelings of hostility that are not manifest
- he could sense her latent hostility to him
- the diplomats' first concern was to reduce international tensions
latent hostility,
(n) the action of stretching something tight
- tension holds the belt in the pulleys

stress tenseness tautness tensity latent hostility

tensile tensity

tensional tension headache tensionless