tenuous

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

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 tenuous President Trump says the U.S. will meet with Iran next week, as a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Iran holds for now. June 25, CBS News, 25 June 2025 Qatar closed its airspace on Monday after an Iranian attack on the Gulf nation, and, with a tenuous ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump still in flux, tens of thousands of travelers remain stuck in Israel. Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 25 June 2025 The death of George Floyd and the protests that followed show just how tenuous, and how vital, that trust is. Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025 True Detective has been a bizarre adventure in serialization, the first season being one of the best detective stories put to television, and the others being a rollercoaster of quality culminating in the recent True Detective: Night Country, which formed some tenuous links to season 1. Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for tenuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenuous
Adjective
  • In the span of a week, the U.S. shifted from the brink of global conflict to a fragile ceasefire.
    Sharyl Attkisson, Baltimore Sun, 27 June 2025
  • This admission comes amid escalating tensions and a fragile ceasefire following deadly clashes between Iran and Israel.
    Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
Adjective
  • Monday saw some dips and slight drops, but the market rebounded and closed up almost 1%.
    Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
  • This was a shift from May, when Democrats had a slight advantage—48 percent planned to support Democrats, while 45 percent leaned toward Republicans, according to the pollster.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Tenuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenuous. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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