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

Now, almost a decade-and-a-half later, the glitzy tentpole event for the Washington media establishment is a shadow of its former self, boycotted and browbeaten by President Donald Trump and his supporters. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025

Over in Japan, the streamer is launching its tentpole film Bullet Train Explosion on April 23. —Sara Merican, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2025

That Marvel tentpole rockets into theaters on May 7, 2027, and will see the return of directors Anthony and Joe Russo, who haven't directed a film for the company since 2019's uber-successful Avengers: Endgame. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 18 Apr. 2025

The Annecy Festival continues to champion cutting-edge global animation, from studio tentpoles to indie darlings. —Jamie Lang, Variety, 15 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tentpole

• bankroll
• bedroll
• borehole
• cajole
• catchpole
• charcoal
• condole
• control
• dipole
• downhole
• enroll
• extol