tenant

verb

tenanted; tenanting; tenants

transitive verb

: to hold or occupy as or as if as a tenant : inhabit

tenantable

ˈte-nən-tə-bəl 

adjective

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Tenets vs. Tenants

Thanks to its confusingly similar pronunciation, tenant (“occupant, land-holder”) is sometimes erroneously used in place of tenet (“principle, doctrine”). Consider this example:

One of the ancient tenants of the Buddist [sic] belief is, “He who sits still, wins” –Police, January/February 1968

You will probably never make the opposite mistake (that is, substitute tenet for tenant), but if you think you might, remember that tenant and occupant both end in -ant.

Examples of tenant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The race focused on public safety, government accountability, the city’s growing legal liabilities and the role of the office in addressing issues ranging from homelessness to tenant protections and immigration enforcement. —Teresa Liu, Daily News, 3 June 2026

Some of this aligns with what Mamdani is trying to do in the city, but the particulars are different — how does a federal approach to tenant protections even work? —Clio Chang, Curbed, 2 June 2026

The company said 24-25 Wallace Avenue, a 2,440-square-foot retail restaurant building tenanted by Center Street Brewing Company is included in the sale. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 25 May 2026

Four projects totaling 236 units are under construction, and one of the first buildings to apply for the program at 281 Franklin St. has been fully tenanted, meaning that a total of 251 units are under construction or completed, according to the mayor’s office. —Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 13 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

derivative of tenant entry 1

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tenant

• co-tenant
• se tenant
• sitting tenant
• tenant farmer

Rhymes for tenant

• pennant
• cotenant
• lieutenant
• subtenant

Kids Definition

tenant

1 of 2 noun

ten·​ant ˈten-ənt 

1

: one who occupies property of another especially for rent

2

: occupant

tenant

2 of 2 verb

: to hold or occupy as a tenant : inhabit

Legal Definition

tenant

noun

ten·​ant ˈte-nənt 

: one who holds or possesses property by any kind of right : one who holds a tenancy in property

specifically : one who possesses property in exchange for payment of rent see also lessee compare tenancy

Etymology

Anglo-French, from Old French, from present participle of tenir to hold, from Latin tenēre