tenuous
Americanadjective
-
lacking a sound basis, as reasoning; unsubstantiated; weak.
a tenuous argument.
-
of slight importance or significance.
He holds a rather tenuous position in history.
- Synonyms:
- trifling, trivial, insignificant
- Antonyms:
- substantial, important
-
lacking in clarity; vague.
He gave a rather tenuous account of his past life.
-
thin or slender in form, as a thread.
- Synonyms:
- attenuated
- Antonyms:
- thick
-
thin in consistency; rare or rarefied.
adjective
-
insignificant or flimsy
a tenuous argument
-
slim, fine, or delicate
a tenuous thread
-
diluted or rarefied in consistency or density
a tenuous fluid
Other Word Forms
- tenuity noun
- tenuously adverb
- tenuousness noun
- untenuous adjective
- untenuously adverb
- untenuousness noun
Etymology
Origin of tenuous
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It comes at a tenuous time for the market.
From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026
“It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t have it. It just means that’s more tenuous … but I do think that we should say it’s wrong and that it’s damaging.”
From Salon • Feb. 12, 2026
Yet it’s still a tenuous time, said Laura Ullrich, Indeed Hiring Lab’s director of economic research in North America.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 11, 2026
Sunday’s tenuous cease-fire followed a rapid offensive against the SDF, which collapsed as Arab factions flipped sides to join the government.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 21, 2026
Beasley grew more animated as it became apparent that 367 was pulling into a tenuous lead.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
