tenderfoot

ten·der·foot | \ ˈten-dər-ˌfu̇t

How to pronounce tenderfoot (audio)

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plural tenderfeet\ ˈten-dər-ˌfēt

How to pronounce tenderfeet (audio)

\ also tenderfoots\ ˈten-dər-ˌfu̇ts

How to pronounce tenderfoots (audio)

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Definition of tenderfoot

1 : an inexperienced beginner : novice a political tenderfoot

2 : a newcomer in a comparatively rough or newly settled region especially : one not hardened to frontier or outdoor life

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Examples of tenderfoot in a Sentence

skateboarders who are tenderfeet will inevitably fall as they learn their first moves

Recent Examples on the Web But even a tenderfoot can easily corral yeast and put it to use, because yeast is everywhere. — Henry Fountain, New York Times, "No Yeast at the Store? No Problem. It’s Everywhere in Your Home.," 7 May 2020 Lazaria Spearman School: Dacula High Class: 2022 Position: Forward College: Undecided Noteworthy: The 6-foot-2 tenderfoot averaged 17 points and 14 rebounds per game to help the Falcons to a 26-4 record. — USA TODAY, "USA TODAY High School Sports Awards: Atlanta girls basketball nominees," 22 Apr. 2020 But like a tenderfoot scout who confidently builds a campfire only to end up burning down the forest, Kalanick’s loose management — of his staff and himself — paved the way for a cascade of embarrassing scandals by 2014. — Los Angeles Times, "Review: Uber’s guerrilla tactics and tech-bro parties chronicled in ‘Super Pumped’," 5 Sep. 2019 The film stars Robert Pattinson as Samuel Alabaster, a foppishly dressed tenderfoot who shows up on the Oregon territory with miniature horse named Butterscotch, looking to hire a preacher (David Zellner) for a wedding. — Gary Thompson, Philly.com, "'Damsel': Robert Pattinson neo-western shoots itself in its hipster foot," 27 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tenderfoot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

5 Jun 2020

Cite this Entry

“Tenderfoot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenderfoot. Accessed 10 Jul. 2020.

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