Tenuous
Having little substance or strength; not well grounded or supported; thin or flimsy.
adjectiveTenuous
Having little substance or strength; not well grounded or supported; thin or flimsy.
adjective💡
Imagine This
Picture a single frayed thread connecting two outcomes: a loose rope line strung between two cliffs. The thread is narrow and barely capable of supporting weight; any tug could snap it, making the connection tenuous.
🔊
Sounds Like
TEN-yoo-uhs
👀
Looks Like
thin, delicate, slender
📝
Remember This
Tenuous indicates weak support or lack of firm grounding. It often describes evidence, arguments, or connections, not physical thickness alone.
📚
Other Forms
tenuousadjective
tenuouslyadverb
tenuousnessnoun
🔗
Connect With
fragile, insubstantial, weak, shaky, precarious, dubious
📌
Note
Contrast with tenable (able to be defended or justified). A tenuous argument is not tenable. Also note pronunciation: TEN-yoo-uhs.