tenuous

adjective

Definition of tenuousnext
as in fragile
lacking strength, permanence, or resilience The countries formed a tenuous political alliance. The moon has a tenuous atmosphere that frequently fluctuates in thickness.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective tenuous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of tenuous are slender, slight, slim, and thin. While all these words mean "not thick, broad, abundant, or dense," tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

Where would slender be a reasonable alternative to tenuous?

The meanings of slender and tenuous largely overlap; however, slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

When could slight be used to replace tenuous?

While in some cases nearly identical to tenuous, slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

When is slim a more appropriate choice than tenuous?

The synonyms slim and tenuous are sometimes interchangeable, but slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness.

a slim volume of poetry
a slim chance

In what contexts can thin take the place of tenuous?

The words thin and tenuous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, thin implies comparatively little extension between surfaces or in diameter, or it may imply lack of substance, richness, or abundance.

thin wire
a thin soup

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tenuous He’s reportedly been key to negotiating the tenuous détente between Elon Musk and Trump. —Jake Lahut, Wired News, 27 June 2025 An Israeli military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations said Iran launched two missiles at Israel hours into the tenuous ceasefire. —Sam Mednick, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025 An estimated 200,000 work comp claims were filed by COVID-19 victims, even though a connection between the disease and the workplace is tenuous at best. —Dan Walters, Mercury News, 28 June 2025 Dinosaurs are no longer isolated to the islands, but instead roam free in something of a tenuous coexistence with mankind. —Will Harris, EW.com, 27 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for tenuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenuous
  1. fragile
  2. slight
Adjective
  • They’ve been counted on to fix what breaks, carry what slips, hold what’s fragile.
    — Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
  • Unlike other thin, fragile flats that offer little wear before falling apart, these are reinforced with Vionic’s trademark cushioning, a removable insert, and premium upper materials.
    — Kayla Blanton, People.com, 9 July 2025
Definition of fragile
Adjective
  • And when detecting the artist approaching flow, the device would emit a subtle cue — a slight change in the sound of their instrument or the lighting — to give the brain a subconscious boost and thereby accelerate and enhance one’s immersion into flow.
    — Brandon Sneed, Rolling Stone, 6 July 2025
  • Obviously, the lack of IBIS won't matter in the slightest for astrophotography.
    — Kimberley Lane, Space.com, 4 July 2025
Definition of slight

Browse Nearby Words

tenty
tenuous
tenure
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenuous. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on tenuous

Nglish: Translation of tenuous for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

Using Bullet Points ( • )

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ten Painless Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

Our Best Historical Slang Terms

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

12 Words Whose History Will Surprise You
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Ten Painless Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All