tenuous

1 of 2

adjective

ten·​u·​ous ˈten-yə-wəs 

-yü-əs

1

a

: having little substance or strength : flimsy, weak

tenuous influences

b

: shaky sense 2a

tenuous reasons

2

: not thick : slender

a tenuous rope

3

: not dense : rare

a tenuous fluid

tenuously adverb

tenuousness noun

tenuousness

2 of 2

noun

ten·​u·​ous·​ness

plural -es

: the quality or state of being tenuous

Did you know?

Lean into the history of tenuous and you’ll find that the word comes to English from the Latin adjective tenuis, meaning “fine-drawn, thin, narrow, or slight,” and is a relative of thin. Like that more familiar word, tenuous has a wide array of meanings: it can describe a literal thinness, as in “a silkworm’s tenuous threads,” or rarity (the opposite of density), as in “a tenuous fluid,” or it can describe things that are figuratively thin or flimsy. If one team in a game has a tenuous lead, either team still has a chance at winning. If there is only a tenuous connection between two events, those events are likely unrelated.

Choose the Right Synonym for tenuous

thin, slender, slim, slight, tenuous mean not thick, broad, abundant, or dense.

thin implies comparatively little extension between surfaces or in diameter, or it may imply lack of substance, richness, or abundance.

thin wire

a thin soup

slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness.

a slim volume of poetry

a slim chance

slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

Examples of tenuous in a Sentence

Adjective

What is also true is that they, and I, were lucky, through genes or fate, to surge through the maelstrom of dashed hope and denied opportunity to grasp a tenuous piece of the American Dream. —Anthony Walton, Lure and Loathing, 1993

After the end of the crusading period, however relations between East and West had grown tenuous … —Albert Hourani, Islam in European Thought, 1991

The authors follow researchers as they use the slimmest leads and the most tenuous connections to track the genes for Huntington's disease, muscular dystrophy, schizophrenia and a host of other physical and mental miseries. —Natalie Angier, New York Times Book Review, 12 Aug. 1990

He has a tenuous grasp on reality.

The local theater has had a tenuous existence in recent years.

He could demonstrate only a tenuous claim to ownership.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Giving any man with a claim on the throne, however tenuous, a toehold, however small, is a dangerous concession. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026

Working with clients who do not distinguish between the two makes for a tenuous relationship; such clients often exhibit high advisor turnover rates. — Shehab Mohammad, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

However, their tenuous bond begins to crack when Connor arrives unexpectedly touting his own ideas about Sterling Point, and the trio realizes there are even more secrets about their lives to uncover. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 5 Aug. 2026

Instead, sources familiar with the situation pointed to Trump’s history of dropping past animosity with Republicans who appease him as one reason Pirro still has a shot of lasting beyond this week’s tenuous moment. — Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin tenuis "fine-drawn, thin, narrow, slight" + -ous — more at thin entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 3

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Kids Definition

tenuous

adjective

ten·​u·​ous ˈten-yə-wəs 

: having little substance or strength : flimsy, weak

a tenuous hold on reality

tenuously adverb