palpable tension
1
5.4
- noun
- /ˈpæl.pə.bəl ˈtɛn.ʃən/
:
tensión palpable
- There's palpable tension here at the scene down the court house as media outlets from around the world await a verdict in the Rodney King...
I've been on sets where like there's like a palpable tension, like, like it's actually like uncomfortable.
- I've been on sets where like there's like a palpable tension, like, like it's actually like uncomfortable.
Examples
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In the silent room, the palpable tension between the two negotiators grew thicker as they prepared to make their final offers.
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But, like, there is a palpable tension in this room.
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There is a palpable tension between them.
Fiction book (1992) -
I'm sensing a palpable tension here.
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There's a palpable tension here in the air as Ambassador Gannon steps away from his besieged Embassy.
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Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), one of a handful of lawmakers who were actually in the Supreme Court chamber when the justices handed down their decision on the health care law, described "a palpable tension" in the air when the justices first entered the room.
Blog text (20) -
As the final moments of the game approached, a palpable tension filled the stadium, making every breath feel electric.
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During the exam, I could feel the palpable tension among the students, all eager yet anxious about their performance.
Synonyms
509
3.2
A feeling of nervousness and anger between people or inside a person
1
4.9
A feeling of nervous worry and stress
Antonyms
How Tense
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is directly compositional: 'palpable' means so strong it seems touchable and 'tension' means anxiety or strain, so together they yield a strong, almost tangible feeling of tension. This adjective–noun combination follows a standard and cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Palpable tension uses palpable, which means 'able to be touched', and tension, a tight feeling like pressure. Imagine a room so full of quiet and worry that you can almost touch the stress in the air. That image explains why the phrase means 'a very strong, clearly felt tension'.