tentpole
noun
tent·pole
ˈtent-ˌpōl 
: a big-budget movie whose earnings are expected to compensate the studio for its less profitable movies
Examples of tentpole in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Holland announced on Instagram the comic book tentpole’s official trailer will drop on Wednesday.
—
Zack Sharf, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
Also honored were Austin citizen and actor Sonny Carl Davis (Thelma & Louise, Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and the 25th anniversary of Spy Kids, which received the Star of Texas Award; that production lighting a wick to the types of tentpoles which could be shot deep in the heart of Texas.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
The character got killed off after only one season but afterwards her career took off, with stellar ensemble roles in big-budget films like 2015’s superhero tentpole Fantastic Four and, that same year, Ridley Scott’s massive Matt Damon survival epic The Martian.
—Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
This includes nearly unprecedented access to a variety of news organizations and Hollywood tentpoles.
—Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tentpole
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Zack Sharf, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
Also honored were Austin citizen and actor Sonny Carl Davis (Thelma & Louise, Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and the 25th anniversary of Spy Kids, which received the Star of Texas Award; that production lighting a wick to the types of tentpoles which could be shot deep in the heart of Texas.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026
The character got killed off after only one season but afterwards her career took off, with stellar ensemble roles in big-budget films like 2015’s superhero tentpole Fantastic Four and, that same year, Ridley Scott’s massive Matt Damon survival epic The Martian.
—Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
This includes nearly unprecedented access to a variety of news organizations and Hollywood tentpoles.
—Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tentpole
Cite this Entry
“Tentpole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tentpole. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
