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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Monster
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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 first tentative steps to end the 3pm television blackout have been taken by Scottish football as it seeks offers for the next broadcast cycle.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
Sentiment rose for a sixth straight month, suggesting a tentative economic recovery is holding up in the country despite the energy-price shock and rising borrowing costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
Myanmar's military held Suu Kyi in almost total seclusion for five years following the February 2021 coup, which ended a tentative decade-long experiment with democracy.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026
Sonny and Mallory shared a kiss once, on a class camping trip, but for … reasons, they meet again on tentative terms.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
Vanguard managed three tentative feet off the pad, lost thrust, and then blew up.
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.
