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.
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
But something happened over the last five years where the band’s precise lane of ambient sadness and tensile rage hit a whole new generation right where it hurts.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2025
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
“It has a high melting point and good tensile strength too. Expensive stuff though. Take some time to drill and shape. C’mon.”
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
