Synonyms of tenuous

tenuous

adjective

as in fragile

lacking strength, permanence, or resilience

The countries formed a tenuous political alliance.

The moon has a tenuous atmosphere that frequently fluctuates in thickness.

Related Words

• fragile
• slight
• delicate
• flimsy
• weak
• shaky
• insubstantial
• unsubstantial
• frail
• fine
• breakable
• uncertain
• dubious
• soft
• feeble
• problematic
• questionable
• frangible
• doubtful
• suspicious
• eggshell
• dainty
• suspect
• gossamer
• shady
• dodgy
• dubitable
• doubtable

Dissimilar Words

• substantial
• solid
• hard
• rigid
• unyielding
• firm
• elastic
• flexible
• resilient
• strong
• stretch
• rubbery
• springy
• supple
• tough
• sturdy
• unbreakable
• rubberlike
• stretchable
• infrangible
• nonbreakable

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective tenuous contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of tenuous are slender, slight, slim, and thin. While all these words mean "not thick, broad, abundant, or dense," tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

Where would slender be a reasonable alternative to tenuous?

The meanings of slender and tenuous largely overlap; however, slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

When could slight be used to replace tenuous?

While in some cases nearly identical to tenuous, slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

When is slim a more appropriate choice than tenuous?

The synonyms slim and tenuous are sometimes interchangeable, but slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness.

a slim volume of poetry

a slim chance

In what contexts can thin take the place of tenuous?

The words thin and tenuous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tenuous

His party, La Libertad Avanza, holds just 37 of 254 seats in the lower chamber, relying on tenuous alliances with conservative blocs. —NPR, 24 Oct. 2025

The state of education for students with disabilities was already tenuous. —Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025

His affairs helped, if only temporarily, to restore an ever-tenuous self-esteem. —Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025

Trump’s recent success in securing a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hamas along with a hostage-for-prisoner exchange between the two parties appears to have also made the president optimistic about the chances of resolving the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. —Babak Dehghanpisheh, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2025