tentative
Americanadjective
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of the nature of or made or done as a trial, experiment, or attempt; experimental.
a tentative report on her findings.
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unsure; uncertain; not definite or positive; hesitant.
a tentative smile on his face.
adjective
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provisional or experimental; conjectural
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hesitant, uncertain, or cautious
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of tentative
First recorded in 1580–90; from Medieval Latin tentātīvus, equivalent to Latin tentāt(us) (past participle of tentāre, variant of temptāre “to test”; see tempt) + -īvus adjective suffix ( see -ive)
Explanation
Choose the adjective tentative to describe something you are unsure or hesitant about. On Monday, you can make tentative plans for the weekend, but it's too early to commit to one party or another. Tentative, from the Latin tentātīvus, "testing, trying," always describes something that is uncertain. If you make a tentative appointment, write it down in pencil, not pen, because it might have to be changed. Here the opposite of tentative is definite or set. If someone gives you a tentative smile or nod, the person feels hesitant or unsure about something. In this case, its opposite is confident.
Vocabulary lists containing tentative
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 4
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 6
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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.
Their eventual detente turns into something more meaningful for both of them, and Wikstrom and Angelo exercise the perfect amount of restraint to make their characters’ tentative friendship believable.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
The period in which respondents were surveyed overlapped with the tentative ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran and the end of the agreement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The June report reflects a reprieve in energy prices after the U.S. and Iran in June reached a tentative agreement to halt military attacks and allow oil-tanker traffic to resume in the Strait of Hormuz.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Fleetwood looked slightly tentative with approaches, perhaps wary of Birkdale biting back and shattering his dreams.
From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026
Jesper waited for a count of sixty, then dropped his collar and took a tentative breath.
From "Six of Crows" by Leigh Bardugo
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.
