TENABLE Synonyms: 78 Similar and Opposite Words

tenable

adjective

ˈte-nə-bəl

Definition of tenable

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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of tenable But having said that, there is also a tenable argument against the team handing him a handsome pay raise. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 24 Apr. 2026 Nicks has said that isn’t tenable without Christine McVie, but the band toured heavily without her between 2003 and 2014. — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 30 Mar. 2026 How tenable will an all-righty bench be over the medium to long term? — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2026 But the more tenable tea on the name involves eighteenth-century trading ships of the British Empire. — Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tenable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenable

Adjective

For months the university has been briefing journalists that its appointment system is rigorous and defendable, and that the campaign was targeted against a Black academic because of his race.

— Rupert Neate, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Even if maritime regulators demanded shippers purchase more defendable vessels, the crews aboard are unready for the challenge.

— Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of defendable

Adjective

The tax revolt was a successful attempt by a small group of ideologues to capitalize on people’s justifiable anger at the cost-of-living crisis that followed the war in Vietnam, along with California’s runaway home prices.

— Maggie McGowan, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026
The valuation of Fernandez is entirely justifiable within the context of the huge fees paid by several Premier League clubs, and specifically City, for high-level central midfielders this summer.

— Liam Twomey, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of justifiable

Adjective

The idea is to give aircraft another long-range weapon for attacking high-value or time-sensitive targets while keeping those aircraft farther from heavily defended areas.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2026
The city is part of Ukraine’s Fortress Belt, a series of heavily defended cities that Russia must overcome to advance farther into the region.

— Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of defended

Adjective

Sophisticated technology cannot substitute for experienced people, functioning networks, practiced relationships, and institutions capable of making defensible decisions under uncertainty.

— Daniel Jernigan, STAT, 26 Sep. 2026
Traceable references make each claim defensible when sharing work with clients or supervisors.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of defensible

Adjective

Best Egg and OneMain Financial are among our top picks for secured loans.

— Dan Avery, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
With the California Academy of Family Physicians, Watts advocated for and secured funding for a family medicine residency program that focused on filling healthcare gaps.

— Emma Hall, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of secured

Adjective

The result is a more efficient propulsion system that delivers greater range and energy, enabling engagement of highly maneuverable aerial threats at safer distances from protected forces.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2026
The main Wekiva River was designated by Congress in 2000 as a protected National Wild and Scenic River.

— Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of protected

Adjective

By coordinating manufacturing, research, and clinical development with partners like Japan, South Korea, Europe, and India, America can build a more secure but still economically viable alternative to Chinese developers.

— Patrick McHenry, STAT, 30 Sep. 2026
Staff may have less time to properly assess prisoners, meaning they can be sent to less secure facilities, creating problems for management there.

— Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of secure

Browse Nearby Words

ten

tenable

tenacious

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“Tenable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenable. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of tenable

adjective

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