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
Even the suggestion of such a levy, argues Schrieder, could be enough to spook studio executives weighing where to place their next tentpole.
—
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025
Gillibert thinks the potential tariff will hurt arthouse films more than major studio tentpoles.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
Arguably, in the past decade, there hasn’t been another right-wing-leaning tentpole that has played such box office levels.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
The beauty calendar is marked by several tentpoles.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tentpole
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2025
Gillibert thinks the potential tariff will hurt arthouse films more than major studio tentpoles.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 29 Sep. 2025
Arguably, in the past decade, there hasn’t been another right-wing-leaning tentpole that has played such box office levels.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
The beauty calendar is marked by several tentpoles.
—Kiana Murden, Vogue, 25 Sep. 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 9 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share