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 wasn’t the case in October 2021 when theatrical was coming out of Covid with a backlog of big tentpoles like Dune, No Time to Die and Halloween Kills. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026

Steven Spielberg is returning to Paramount’s cult Transformers franchise alongside longtime producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura and with Michael Bay, long a master of mayhem, in talks to possibly direct the next tentpole for fanboys of vehicles. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

The Saint Laurent show, staged under the dramatic glow of the Eiffel Tower, has long been a buzzy tentpole of Paris Fashion Week. — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026

The last milestone left for the Marvel-Sony tentpole is to become the first movie to cross $1 billion at the domestic box office alone. — Jack Dunn, Variety, 28 Sep. 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