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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Recent Examples of tenable
David Harris, a University of Pittsburgh law professor specializing in criminal law, said the charges against the protesters are more tenable, given the federal laws against disrupting the free exercise of worship.
—
Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 19 Jan. 2026
The premise that China would remain a status-quo power anchored in the old trading order is no longer tenable.
—Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
After the war, many Iranians hoped things would change and that the government would leverage the nationalistic rally around the flag to introduce a more tenable social contract with the populace.
—Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tenable
Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 19 Jan. 2026
The premise that China would remain a status-quo power anchored in the old trading order is no longer tenable.
—Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Time, 15 Jan. 2026
After the war, many Iranians hoped things would change and that the government would leverage the nationalistic rally around the flag to introduce a more tenable social contract with the populace.
—Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tenable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenable
Adjective
-
The safe, defendable choice wasn’t necessarily the right one though.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
And there may be perfectly justifiable reasons.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
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Fort Worth police have determined that an April 30 road rage shooting that killed a man in northwest Fort Worth was a justifiable homicide, according to online records.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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Speaking at Fortune’s Workforce Innovation Summit on Tuesday, the 31-year-old defended sweeping workforce cuts at Bolt—including a recent layoff affecting roughly 30% of employees—as well as his decision to eliminate the company’s HR team.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
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As in traditional sieges, the focus is on the vulnerable flow of supplies rather than a defended position.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Extreme conservatism in a monetary protocol is a defensible philosophy.—
Sandy Peng,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
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Everlane, a company that promised shoppers affordable and ethically defensible clothing, may be over as customers have known it.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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The Blue Origin explosion occurred during a ground test while the rocket remained secured to the launch pad; no injuries were reported.—
Paulina Likos,Kevin Stankiewicz,
CNBC,
29 May 2026
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If possible, place the plant(s) in two secured trash bags, one inside the other, and seal them closed.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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Protecting The Night Sky From Light Pollution The RAS argues nighttime should be treated as a protected part of the natural environment, requiring safeguards similar to those applied to daytime environmental conservation.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2026
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California consumers are suing Cento Fine Foods, alleging the company falsely labels its products as containing San Marzano tomatoes, a premium Italian variety with protected status requiring specific consortium certification.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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Although the military initially ignored it, the principle later became foundational to spread-spectrum wireless communication technologies used in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and modern secure communications.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
28 May 2026
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Cuban leaders are believed to rely on hardened facilities, underground bunkers, tunnels, decoys, secure compounds and frequent movement.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tenable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenable. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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