tenser

Tenser is the comparative form of the adjective tense. It is used to describe a greater degree of tension, whether physical, emotional, or atmospheric, relative to another state. In everyday usage, tenser often appears in discussions of mood, suspense, or stress, as in examples like “The room grew tenser as the verdict approached” or “The negotiations became tenser after the new proposal.” It can also refer to something that is more stretched or tight, such as a rope or muscles, though more common terms in some contexts may be taut or strained.

In grammar, tenser is the standard comparative of tense when used in the sense of being more tense. Some writers and style guides recommend using “more tense” for formal prose to avoid ambiguity with grammatical tense itself, but tenser is widely understood and acceptable in many contexts.

Etymology traces tense back to the Latin tensus, from tendere “to stretch.” The word entered English via Old French and developed the comparative form by adding the suffix -er, yielding “tenser.”

See also: tense (in grammar and time), tension, taut, comparative forms of adjectives.