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Sexual tension is a plot device employed in works of fiction wherein two or more of the characters sexually long for one another, but the consummation is postponed or never occurs. This longing is often suggested by incidents of intimacy; for instance, when two characters are alone, are physically close, but desire is never explicitly expressed. It also might be suggested in dialogue, as in, for example, a subtle reference to a character's feelings. Sometimes, displays of hostility are used to hide secret attraction, or to deflect true but inconvenient romantic feelings.

The device creates a direction for the plot: toward a resolution. Alternatively, it might create a subplot that may or may not be resolved.

The device, when used by a skilled writer, evokes tension in the audience on account of this private knowledge. In a generic movie, by contrast, sexual tension is often employed and then concluded with a love scene. Soap operas in particular, rely heavily on sexual tension between characters to extend storylines, and maintain interest.

It is important to note that many popular television shows suffered declining ratings and subsequent cancellation, once the sexual tension between the main characters was dissolved. This was usually achieved when the characters married, entered an ongoing sexual relationship or had a child.

Sexual tension can be a normal part of human sexuality in day to day life. It is particularly common in the workplace, where many people work together in close proximity and develop an attraction to each other, but are unable to pursue a connection for any number of reasons.

The following fictional couples have experienced sexual tension:

• Ross Geller and Rachel Green had a large amount of tension throughout the series Friends, as they dated and broke up almost every season. They even had a child together. In the series finale, the two finally resolved their relationship by getting together.
• Sam Malone (Ted Danson) and Diane Chambers (Shelley Long) in Cheers. Their consummation actually improved the show's already high ratings at the time.
• Mulder and Scully of The X-Files had an oblique and implied sexual tension.
• Luke Danes and Lorelai Gilmore of Gilmore Girls
• Max Evans and Liz Parker in Roswell
• There is severe sexual tension between Dr Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) and Dr Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) on House. It is finally revealed in the episode Top Secret that they have had a sexual relationship, possibly a one-night stand, at some point in the past.
• Fran Fine (Fran Drescher) and Maxwell Sheffield (Charles Shaughnessy) on The Nanny. Their long awaited marriage concluded the show, as Drescher knew it was not possible for the series to continue in its original format without "jumping the shark". There was also unresolved sexual tension between butler Niles (Daniel Davis) and Miss Babcock (Lauren Lane), though this was well hidden by catty one liners between the two characters throughout the show's run.
• David Addison (Bruce Willis) and Maddie Hayes (Cybil Shepherd) on Moonlighting. Their eventual pairing led to the show's demise as many viewers felt that it was the sexual tension between the two that drove the show.
• It was often implied that Xena (Lucy Lawless) and Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor) enjoyed a relationship that was more than friendship, though this was always left to the viewers interpretation and never confirmed.
• Jeannie (Barbara Eden) and Major Tony Nelson (Larry Hagman) in I Dream of Jeannie.
• Alien Mork from Ork (Robin Williams) was secretly in love with earthling Mindy (Pam Dawber), who he eventually married in Mork and Mindy.
• Tony Micelli (Tony Danza) and Angela Bower (Judith Light) in Who's the Boss.
• Superman/Clark Kent (Dean Cain) and Lois Lane (Teri Hatcher) in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Their union resulted in a fall in ratings that ended the series.
• Maxwell Smart (Don Adams) and Agent 99 (Barbara Feldon) in Get Smart.
• Mrs Muir (Hope Lange) and Captain Daniel Gregg (Edward Mulhare) were secretly in love in The Ghost and Mrs Muir, despite the fact that he was a ghost.
• Miss Piggy believed she had something resembling sexual tension with Kermit the Frog in The Muppet Show, though he was simply not interested.
• Ned Dorsey (Thomas Haden Church) and Stacey Colbert (Debra Messing) in Ned and Stacey. The show was cancelled just after the two fell in love.
• Michael Novotny (Hal Sparks) experiences simmering sexual tension with his non-committal best friend, Brian Kinney (Gale Harold) in Queer as Folk, although the two never became sexual with each other.
• Mrs Amanda King (Kate Jackson) and Scarecrow (Bruce Boxleitner) in Scarecrow and Mrs King. Their marriage did not boost the show's flagging ratings, and it was cancelled shortly after.
• Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) hid their attraction to each other by calling one another names, in the 1977 film Star Wars. She would call him "flyboy" whereas he would always address her sarcastically as "your highness". They would go on to eventually save each others lives. Their relationship became a subplot for the following two films.
• In The Family Stone, Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) is engaged to Everett Stone (Dermot Mulroney), even though it becomes obvious that she is more attracted to his brother, Ben (Luke Wilson), who is equally as smitten with her.
• In Far and Away, Joseph Donnelly (Tom Cruise) and Shannon Christie (Nicole Kidman) have a seemingly turbulent relationship that hides their true feelings for each other.
• Fans of the popular British comedy To the Manor Born, were desperate to see Audrey Forbes-Hamilton (Penelope Keith) pair up with Richard De Vere (Peter Bowles), even though the two were constantly at odds with each other. They married in the show's final episode.
• Fans of the FOX forensic drama Bones repeatedly point out the blatant (and yet somehow unnoticed by all of the characters) sexual tension between Dr. Temperance Brennan and Agent Seeley Booth.
• Fans of Days of Our Lives believe that it was the element of sexual tension between certain characters on that series that produced the concept of the "supercouple" on daytime soap operas. Examples include the union of Doug and Julie Williams (Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes), Bo and Hope Brady (Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso), and Roman Brady and Dr Marlena Evans (Wayne Northrop and Deidre Hall).
• Nurse Terri Sullivan (Georgie Parker) had to fight against her attraction to Dr Mitch Stevens (Erik Thomson) because of the fact that she was a nun, resulting in near impossible sexual tension between the two, on the popular Australian soap, All Saints.
• Psychiatrist Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce) and housekeeper, Daphne (Jane Leeves) on Frasier.
• Grace Adler (Debra Messing) spent the first few seasons of Will and Grace, fighting against sexual tension caused by the fact that the man she loved most, her best friend Will Truman (Eric McCormack) was gay.