tenable
Americanadjective
-
capable of being held, maintained, or defended, as against attack or dispute.
a tenable theory.
- Synonyms:
- warrantable, maintainable, viable, workable
-
capable of being occupied, possessed, held, or enjoyed, as under certain conditions.
a research grant tenable for two years.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tenable
1570–80; < French: that can be held, equivalent to ten ( ir ) to hold (≪ Latin tenēre ) + -able -able
Explanation
If your teacher says your position on the benefits of abolishing homework is not tenable, she means it is not based in fact. To be tenable is to be evidence-based and well-founded. Tenable comes from the Latin root tenir which means "to hold," as in "hold together." If your plan is tenable, it will probably hold together when you execute it, or hold up to scrutiny. It's good to note that the opposite of tenable is untenable and not intenable, though throughout history both have been used.
Vocabulary lists containing tenable
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "T"
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This Week In Culture: October 5–11, 2019
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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.
Beattie stepped away from the Ulster Unionist Party on Sunday saying it had become clear his membership was no longer "tenable".
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
The longer it drags on, the less tenable the current stance becomes, said William English, a former senior Fed economist who now teaches at Yale.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026
“If the product liability workaround to Section 230 is tenable, then there is no need to revise or reform Section 230 because it’s already a dead letter,” Goldman said.
From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026
It’s clear this mindlessness is no longer tenable.
From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026
We were finding no common ground, and I was becoming convinced that the marriage was no longer tenable.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
