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

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

“There is a very tenuous calm,” said Patrick Ryan, chief investment strategist at Madison Investments.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The labor market “is a little bit tenuous right now,” said Aditya Bhave, an economist at Bank of America.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But given trade tensions and America’s retrenchment from the world, Doshi said, “that seems very tenuous.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

But Dillane conveys a restless anxiety underneath these scenes, an awareness of the tenuous nature of his support system.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Instead, they were reminded of the tenuous reality of their oft-injured roster — and the difficulty of trying to manage Smith’s hand in particular.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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