tensile
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to tension.
tensile strain.
-
capable of being stretched or drawn out; ductile.
adjective
-
of or relating to tension
-
sufficiently ductile to be stretched or drawn out
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tensile
From the New Latin word tēnsilis, dating back to 1620–30. See tense 1, -ile
Explanation
Use the adjective tensile to describe materials that can be shaped, such as the tensile clay that a potter crafts into a bowl or vase. Tensile rhymes with "pencil." It might remind you of the word tense, and in fact, tensile can also mean "having to do with tension." Think about a tensile material, like wire. It will stretch and stretch until it reaches its limit. Drawn tight, with no slack, the wire has tensile stress.
Vocabulary lists containing tensile
The ACT Science Test: Physics Review
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Physical Science: Physical Laws, Work, and Motion
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"Modern Automotive Technology," Vocabulary from Section 1
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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.
The sound system is handled by an L-Acoustics L-ISA 250-speaker matrix suspended dynamically behind a specialized acoustic fabric wall, material that Anadol loves to let people touch gently to confirm its woven tensile character.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
True, some worms can do that, too, but only spiders have spinnerets—specialized organs that produce silk—and the ability to weave threads that, though thinner than human hair, have greater tensile strength than steel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
The tensile strength, or the stress a material can bear when it is pulled, was the highest ever reported among similar fiber-reinforced composite materials.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 8, 2024
Doing so increases the tensile strength of the bags so much that they’re actually stronger than traditional plastic—as mighty as nylon used in parachutes and safety belts.
From National Geographic ● Jan. 16, 2024
Dad is great, but he’s an inventor and he’d probably tune out while he sketched gigantic catapults and estimated the tensile strength required for a bungee cord to send a one-man glider into orbit.
From "Lawn Boy Returns" by Gary Paulsen
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
