untenable
Americanadjective
-
(of an argument, thesis, strategy, etc.) incapable of being defended; indefensible.
I do not regard atheism as an untenable stance toward the world.
-
(of a situation or condition) incapable of being sustained or maintained over time.
A number of exporters have called for the measure to be withdrawn, maintaining it has imposed an untenable strain on their working capital.
- Synonyms:
- questionable, weak, unsound, groundless, baseless
-
not fit to be occupied, as an apartment, house, etc.
adjective
-
(of theories, propositions, etc) incapable of being maintained, defended, or vindicated
-
unable to be maintained against attack
-
rare (of a house, etc) unfit for occupation
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of untenable
Explanation
If something is untenable, you can't defend it or justify it. If your disagreement with your teacher puts you in an untenable position, you better just admit you made a mistake and get on with it. When untenable entered English in the 17th century it meant "unable to be held against attack." That sense still holds true: you can use the adjective untenable to describe any situation, position, or theory that simply can't be defended. Untenable is a great word to use when you want to criticize something, whether it's a flawed system or a referee's bad call.
Vocabulary lists containing untenable
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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.
Lower debt: High-interest debt from credit cards, car loans or student loans can quickly drain any budget and make living on less income untenable.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the U.S. proposed new terms in recent days that made reaching an agreement untenable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
“The concern and the situation just feels untenable right now.”
From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2026
At that point, say many Toluca Lake residents, the screams became untenable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
This left me no course but to regret that I had been “betrayed into a warmth which,” and on the whole to repudiate, as untenable, the idea that I was to be found anywhere.
From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens
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.
