tenuous

1 of 2

adjective

ten·​u·​ous ˈten-yə-wəs 

-yü-əs

1

a

: having little substance or strength : flimsy, weak

tenuous influences

b

: shaky sense 2a

tenuous reasons

2

: not thick : slender

a tenuous rope

3

: not dense : rare

a tenuous fluid

tenuously adverb

tenuousness noun

tenuousness

2 of 2

noun

ten·​u·​ous·​ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being tenuous

Did you know?

Lean into the history of tenuous and you’ll find that the word comes to English from the Latin adjective tenuis, meaning “fine-drawn, thin, narrow, or slight,” and is a relative of thin. Like that more familiar word, tenuous has a wide array of meanings: it can describe a literal thinness, as in “a silkworm’s tenuous threads,” or rarity (the opposite of density), as in “a tenuous fluid,” or it can describe things that are figuratively thin or flimsy. If one team in a game has a tenuous lead, either team still has a chance at winning. If there is only a tenuous connection between two events, those events are likely unrelated.

Choose the Right Synonym for tenuous

thin, slender, slim, slight, tenuous mean not thick, broad, abundant, or dense.

thin implies comparatively little extension between surfaces or in diameter, or it may imply lack of substance, richness, or abundance.

thin wire

a thin soup

slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness.

a slim volume of poetry

a slim chance

slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

Examples of tenuous in a Sentence

Adjective

What is also true is that they, and I, were lucky, through genes or fate, to surge through the maelstrom of dashed hope and denied opportunity to grasp a tenuous piece of the American Dream. —Anthony Walton, Lure and Loathing, 1993

After the end of the crusading period, however relations between East and West had grown tenuous … —Albert Hourani, Islam in European Thought, 1991

The authors follow researchers as they use the slimmest leads and the most tenuous connections to track the genes for Huntington's disease, muscular dystrophy, schizophrenia and a host of other physical and mental miseries. —Natalie Angier, New York Times Book Review, 12 Aug. 1990

He has a tenuous grasp on reality.

The local theater has had a tenuous existence in recent years.

He could demonstrate only a tenuous claim to ownership.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Trump and Iran’s lead negotiator signed an agreement on Monday to extend a tenuous ceasefire by 60 days and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, raising hopes for an end to the historic energy shock that has roiled global markets and clouded the growth outlook. —Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 June 2026

The creatures are running amok, destroying crops and threatening the farmers’ already tenuous livelihoods. —Jessica Kiang, Variety, 16 June 2026

Talks have stalled, though a tenuous ceasefire is in place. —ABC News, 12 June 2026

Worries had been high because the United States and Iran launched attacks over the last several days, threatening a more than monthlong tenuous ceasefire. —Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin tenuis "fine-drawn, thin, narrow, slight" + -ous — more at thin entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 3

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Kids Definition

tenuous

adjective

ten·​u·​ous ˈten-yə-wəs 

: having little substance or strength : flimsy, weak

a tenuous hold on reality

tenuously adverb