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
The screenwriter behind such tentpoles as Wonder Woman and Argylle has been tapped to write the live-action feature adaptation of My Hero Academia, based on one of the best-selling manga series.
—
Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Jon Bernthal’s Punisher is confirmed to have a role in the tentpole, while newcomers include Sadie Sink, Trammel Tillman and Liza Colón-Zayas.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
There will be an array of events the weekend of September 26 to 28 at the Joseph—from a cooking class led by Top Chef champ Mei Lin to wine tastings to a cocktail mixology course—with the tentpoles being a pair of dinners that will show off very different styles of cooking.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 Sep. 2025
That wasn't the case for Sinners, which continued to perform well after weeks in theaters, but was forced to contend with not only Thunderbolts*, Marvel's first big summer tentpole for 2025, but the live-action Lilo & Stitch reboot.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 24 Aug. 2025
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Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
Jon Bernthal’s Punisher is confirmed to have a role in the tentpole, while newcomers include Sadie Sink, Trammel Tillman and Liza Colón-Zayas.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
There will be an array of events the weekend of September 26 to 28 at the Joseph—from a cooking class led by Top Chef champ Mei Lin to wine tastings to a cocktail mixology course—with the tentpoles being a pair of dinners that will show off very different styles of cooking.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 4 Sep. 2025
That wasn't the case for Sinners, which continued to perform well after weeks in theaters, but was forced to contend with not only Thunderbolts*, Marvel's first big summer tentpole for 2025, but the live-action Lilo & Stitch reboot.
—Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 24 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tentpole
Cite this Entry
“Tentpole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tentpole. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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