| ease tension | 52.67 | This tends to ease the tension. | ||
| defuse tension | 24.49 | They defuse tensions by having sex. | ||
| reduce tension | 22.51 | Reducing tensions diplomatically. | ||
| raise tension | 18.04 | Kidnapping of foreigners raises tensions. | ||
| heighten tension | 17.77 | Tensions are heightened over Kosovo. | ||
| create tension | 13.10 | Fear creates tension. | ||
| increase tension | 12.11 | It said such a move could only increase tensions. | ||
| escalate tension | 7.44 | Sharon said such remarks only escalate tensions. | ||
| cause tension | 6.98 | This, too, has caused tension. | ||
| inflame tension | 5.79 | The shooting inflamed ethnic tensions. | ||
| exacerbate tension | 5.73 | And the fickle real-estate market exacerbates these tensions. | ||
| fuel tension | 5.66 | Tension was fueled notably with Romania and Slovakia. | ||
| calm tension | 4.61 | Russia, too, was trying to calm the tensions. | ||
| reflect tension | 4.15 | The early debate reflected the tensions to come. | ||
| relieve tension | 3.42 | A good way to relieve the tension. | ||
| aggravate tension | 3.29 | But it has also aggravated racial tensions. | ||
| discuss tension | 3.29 | We discussed the tensions between India and Pakistan. | ||
| feel tension | 3.03 | Pros feel so much tension. | ||
| spark tension | 3.03 | These divergent outlooks always spark tensions. | ||
| keep tension | 2.83 | Last year, the impeachment drama kept tensions high. |