tenseness

Plural: tensenesses

Noun

• the physical condition of being stretched or strained
  • "he could feel the tenseness of her body"
• (psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense
• The characteristic of being tense.
• A particular vowel or consonant quality that is phonemically contrastive in many languages, including English.

Synonyms

stress, tautness, tension, tensity