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
Typically, the studio’s tentpoles cost $200 million to $250 million to produce and another $120 million to $140 million to market.
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Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 12 June 2025
Connie Orlando — evp of specials, music programming and music strategy at BET — served as the executive producer for BET Awards 2025, with Jamal Noisette, svp of tentpoles and music community engagement, for BET.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 10 June 2025
Apple generally concentrates its hardware launches to the spring and fall, with quieter and lower-profile launches in the spring and bigger launches in the fall, anchored by the tentpole that is the iPhone.
—ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
Still, as traditional audiences age or drift away, the impact of these old tentpoles is diminishing.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tentpole
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Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 12 June 2025
Connie Orlando — evp of specials, music programming and music strategy at BET — served as the executive producer for BET Awards 2025, with Jamal Noisette, svp of tentpoles and music community engagement, for BET.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 10 June 2025
Apple generally concentrates its hardware launches to the spring and fall, with quieter and lower-profile launches in the spring and bigger launches in the fall, anchored by the tentpole that is the iPhone.
—ArsTechnica, 6 June 2025
Still, as traditional audiences age or drift away, the impact of these old tentpoles is diminishing.
—Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 27 May 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 Jun. 2025.
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