as in misleading
formal
not capable of being defended against attack or criticism; not tenable
an untenable argument The theory is untenable.
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Recent Examples of untenable
That said, in lesser hands than Dunham’s, the romance at the center of Too Much could have seemed untenable, to say the least.
—
Emma Specter, Vogue, 10 July 2025
That truth, coupled with what could justifiably be perceived as a general and egregious lack of adequate safety measures, presents an unacceptable, untenable reality for MNPS parents.
—Andrea Williams, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
And even just trying to regulate the timing of construction projects to space them out can be untenable.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 3 Aug. 2025
Because drawing this much power from the public grid is untenable, the project will rely on its own dedicated gas generation and renewable energy sources, according to Collins and company officials.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for untenable
Emma Specter, Vogue, 10 July 2025
That truth, coupled with what could justifiably be perceived as a general and egregious lack of adequate safety measures, presents an unacceptable, untenable reality for MNPS parents.
—Andrea Williams, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
And even just trying to regulate the timing of construction projects to space them out can be untenable.
—Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 3 Aug. 2025
Because drawing this much power from the public grid is untenable, the project will rely on its own dedicated gas generation and renewable energy sources, according to Collins and company officials.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for untenable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untenable
Adjective
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And if tariffs only cause a one-time jump in prices, weaker purchasing power could slow the economy.—
Raul Elizalde,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
The airline cited weak travel demand and financial challenges.—
Michael Salerno,
AZCentral.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Nothing adds depth to an irascible curmudgeon quite like an irrational love of pets that do not love you back.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
6 Aug. 2025
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Our worries are often dismissed as irrational—planes are much safer than cars, etc.—
Elaine Godfrey,
The Atlantic,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The policy and specialist support environment is going to need to become more sophisticated, and more responsive to balancing needs and addressing conflict, unfairness and unreasonable requests / restrictions.—
Nancy Doyle,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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Timothy Mousseau, a biologist at the University of South Carolina who studies organisms and ecosystems in radioactive regions, told the Times that the DOE's explanation that the wasps gathered legacy contamination for their homes is not unreasonable.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
4 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Untenable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untenable. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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