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

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

Holland announced on Instagram the comic book tentpole’s official trailer will drop on Wednesday. —Zack Sharf, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026

Also honored were Austin citizen and actor Sonny Carl Davis (Thelma & Louise, Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and the 25th anniversary of Spy Kids, which received the Star of Texas Award; that production lighting a wick to the types of tentpoles which could be shot deep in the heart of Texas. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 12 Mar. 2026

The character got killed off after only one season but afterwards her career took off, with stellar ensemble roles in big-budget films like 2015’s superhero tentpole Fantastic Four and, that same year, Ridley Scott’s massive Matt Damon survival epic The Martian. —Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 11 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