tenuous

[ten-yoo-uhs]

adjective

1. lacking a sound basis, as reasoning; unsubstantiated; weak.

   a tenuous argument.

2. of slight importance or significance.

   He holds a rather tenuous position in history.

   Synonyms: trifling, trivial, insignificant
   Antonyms: substantial, important

3. lacking in clarity; vague.

   He gave a rather tenuous account of his past life.

4. thin or slender in form, as a thread.

   Synonyms: attenuated
   Antonyms: thick

5. thin in consistency; rare or rarefied.

tenuous

/ ˈtɛnjʊəs, tɛˈnjʊɪtɪ /

adjective

1. insignificant or flimsy

   a tenuous argument

2. slim, fine, or delicate

   a tenuous thread

3. diluted or rarefied in consistency or density

   a tenuous fluid

Other Word Forms

• tenuously adverb
• tenuousness noun
• untenuous adjective
• untenuously adverb
• untenuousness noun
• tenuity noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenuous¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; tenu(ity) + -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenuous¹

C16: from Latin tenuis

Example Sentences

Should he prevail in this case, he could raise almost any sort of tax simply by invoking an emergency with some foreign connection, however tenuous.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Most cannot, and baseball should be able to find ways to share the wealth without risking its tenuous but growing popularity by locking out players in pursuit of a salary cap.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The new bill will make this argument more tenuous, as it says that consent must be "free and informed, specific, prior and revocable",

Read more on BBC

Admittedly, as my quest progressed, the connections to Shelley’s tale became more tenuous.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He was doing well—had learned to walk on time and was enjoying preschool, two things that were never guaranteed—but his success felt tenuous.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• delicate 
• dubious 
• flimsy 
• insubstantial 
• nebulous 
• questionable 
• shaky 
• sketchy