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
Starting with the 2000-01 season until Friends’ end in May 2004, Friends and Will & Grace were the 8 PM and 9 PM comedy tentpoles of NBC’s Must See TV Thursday night lineup.
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Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
That puts both films roughly three weeks apart on the summer calendar, a scheduling move that signals Disney’s confidence in stacking franchise tentpoles back-to-back during the peak moviegoing season.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 19 Mar. 2026
Underscoring the platform’s manifest will be three tentpole events.
—Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2026
Holland announced on Instagram the comic book tentpole’s official trailer will drop on Wednesday.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tentpole
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Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 27 Mar. 2026
That puts both films roughly three weeks apart on the summer calendar, a scheduling move that signals Disney’s confidence in stacking franchise tentpoles back-to-back during the peak moviegoing season.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 19 Mar. 2026
Underscoring the platform’s manifest will be three tentpole events.
—Gail Mitchell, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2026
Holland announced on Instagram the comic book tentpole’s official trailer will drop on Wednesday.
—Zack Sharf, Variety, 17 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 3 Apr. 2026.
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