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

Going back to The Housemaid, the ability to put a movie like it in the Christmas corridor is partially a function of not having a $200 million tentpole that needs to occupy the Christmas space. —David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 8 Apr. 2026

The Roles Emma Chamberlain Actually Wants Chamberlain isn’t angling for rom-com leads or franchise tentpoles. —Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 8 Apr. 2026

Serkis, who is directing the movie and returning in front of the camera as Gollum, confirmed in an interview with ScreenRant that Aragorn will be recast in the next Middle-earth film tentpole. —Zack Sharf, Variety, 3 Apr. 2026

For major tentpoles like the James Bond series and Mission: Impossible, espionage is a central factor in their appeal, with their protagonists finding themselves in (and trying to escape from) extraordinary situations. —Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026

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