… but there is also about it just the trace of the nettlesome righteousness that alienated much of Washington during his tenure there, the not-so-subtle suggestion that while he might be in politics, he is not of politics and certainly not, God forbid, a politician.—Jim Wooten, New York Times Magazine, 29 Jan. 1995Pittsburgh's offensive linemen, trap blockers during Noll's tenure, had to bulk up for the straight-ahead game.—Paul Zimmerman, Sports Illustrated, 9 Nov. 1992A mural on the upper half of a four-story guesthouse was painted in 1977 by twelve-year-old schoolchildren, whose tenure on the scaffold must have thrilled their parents.—John McPhee, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 1988
During his tenure as head coach, the team won the championship twice.
her 12-year tenure with the company
His tenure in office will end with the next election.
After seven years I was finally granted tenure.
He hopes to get tenure next year.
The defendant did not have tenure on the land.
land tenure in Anglo-Saxon Britain
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The officials said there was prior tension between LaNeve and Donahue after LaNeve's tenure as the commander of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division ended earlier than what is typical for that position.—
Eleanor Watson,
CBS News,
20 Aug. 2026 Those who covered Devers’ tenure in Boston are curious to find out themselves.—
Justice Delos Santos,
Mercury News,
20 Aug. 2026 The Clippers’ assertion came after ESPN reported two key points regarding the NBA’s ongoing investigation into how Kawhi Leonard was compensated during his tenure with the team.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
20 Aug. 2026 Stephen Colbert received the group’s career achievement award after ending his tenure as host of CBS’ Late Show (which also won the variety, talk and sketch award).—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tenure
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, "possession of land under obligation to a superior, the land so held," borrowed from Anglo-French tenure, teneure, going back to Gallo-Romance *tenitūra "act of possessing," from Latin ten-, base of tenēre "to hold, possess" + -it-, generalized from past participles ending in -itus + -ūra-ure — more at tenant entry 1
Note:
A number of renderings of the word in Medieval Latin from the 11th century on (as tenetura, tenatura, tentura, tenura, etc.) may reflect stages in the passage from Latin to French or attempts to Latinize a vernacular form.
: the act, right, manner, or term of holding something (as property, a position, or an office)
especially: a status granted after a trial period to a teacher that gives protection from dismissal except for serious cause determined by formal proceedings
: the act, manner, duration, or right of holding something
tenure of office
specifically: the manner of holding real property : the title and conditions by which property is held
freehold tenure
2
: a status granted to a teacher usually after a probationary period that protects him or her from dismissal except for reasons of incompetence, gross misconduct, or financial necessity
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