1
as in defendable
capable of being defended against physical attack
the soldiers' encampment on the open plain was not tenable, so they retreated to higher ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in justifiable
capable of being defended with good reasoning against verbal attack
the tenable theory that a giant meteor strike set off a chain of events resulting in the demise of the dinosaurs
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tenable
As images of starving children in Gaza continue to circulate and the international outcry grows louder, a number of American rabbis used their pulpits to speak up about the humanitarian crisis, some with sorrow, others with moral urgency, and many with a sense that silence was no longer tenable.
—
Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
The Treasury says this is no longer tenable and calls for a national strategy that unifies public and private sector innovation.
—Ron Shevlin, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
This one may be less tenable than the Spotify thing.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 July 2025
With India’s economy punching below its weight, however, Modi’s inner circle realizes the status quo is no longer tenable.
—Milan Vaishnav, Foreign Affairs, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tenable
Asaf Elia-Shalev, Sun Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2025
The Treasury says this is no longer tenable and calls for a national strategy that unifies public and private sector innovation.
—Ron Shevlin, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2025
This one may be less tenable than the Spotify thing.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 18 July 2025
With India’s economy punching below its weight, however, Modi’s inner circle realizes the status quo is no longer tenable.
—Milan Vaishnav, Foreign Affairs, 16 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tenable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenable
Adjective
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And unlike Snake Eater, the original isn’t easily accessible, making the endeavor much more justifiable.—
George Yang,
Rolling Stone,
30 Sep. 2025
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Douglas County prosecutors ruled the killing a justifiable act of self-defense at the time, according to FOX9 Minneapolis.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Ringo recorded a defended pass and recovered the fumble Campbell forced.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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In the first three games of the year, DeJean recorded 22 tackles and a defended pass.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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But for Almasque, the very nature of this means the tech may not be defensible.—
Tasmin Lockwood,
CNBC,
30 Sep. 2025
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The zone zero regulations are part of a broader series of defensible space laws that have existed in some form since the 1960s, according to Bigelow.—
Hannah Ruhoff,
Sacbee.com,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi advised Newsom in the early stages of his redistricting push and secured donor support.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
2 Oct. 2025
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The incident compromised their chances of winning the race as Chase Elliott capitalized on the situation and secured victory.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Deutsch explained that architects have found lowering a ceiling makes a person feel more protected and comfortable.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Sep. 2025
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After walking away from the semi-protected working environment of Anderson’s film, Hoffman followed the advice of some peers and enrolled in an acting school in New York to hone his craft.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Before repurposing, always perform a secure wipe to erase all personal information.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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The aim is to help these films secure finishing funds, attract sales agents, secure festival premieres, and establish partnerships.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tenable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenable. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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