tenable

adjective

ten·a·ble ˈte-nə-bəl How to pronounce tenable (audio)

: capable of being held, maintained, or defended : defensible, reasonable

tenability

ˌte-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce tenable (audio)

noun

tenableness noun

tenably

ˈte-nə-blē How to pronounce tenable (audio)

adverb

Did you know?

Hold Onto the Meaning of Tenable

Tenable means "holdable". In the past it was often used in a physical sense—for example, to refer to a city that an army was trying to "hold" militarily against an enemy force. But nowadays it's almost always used when speaking of "held" ideas and theories. If you hold an opinion but evidence appears that completely contradicts it, your opinion is no longer tenable. So, for example, the old ideas that cancer is infectious or that being bled by leeches can cure your whooping cough now seem untenable.

Example Sentences

the soldiers' encampment on the open plain was not tenable, so they retreated to higher ground the tenable theory that a giant meteor strike set off a chain of events resulting in the demise of the dinosaurs

Recent Examples on the Web The decades-old biases against technospheres, including the giggle-factor tying them to little green men and UFO conspiracies, are no longer tenable.

Adam Frank, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2022 For the dirtbag, hygiene is optional, dumbassery is frequent, and a gritty kind of enlightenment might just be tenable.

Adrienne Matei, The Atlantic, 26 July 2022 Five Star’s refusal to support the government was enough to convince Draghi that the coalition was no longer tenable.

Jason Horowitz, BostonGlobe.com, 14 July 2022 These types of opportunities are inexpensive compared to overall sponsorship, but a more tenable solution for smaller brands.

Andrew Faridani, Forbes, 30 June 2022 Is carbon capture a tenable solution to fight climate change?

Jennifer Hiller, WSJ, 7 Feb. 2022 After the Holocaust, indulging the unconscious no longer seemed tenable.

Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2021 This reluctance to change won’t be tenable for long.

Kathy Leake, Forbes, 3 June 2022 And the old-fashioned solution—asking the grandparents to step in as caregivers—is only tenable for about 20% of working mothers, according to a 2013 study.

Abby Vesoulis, Time, 7 Apr. 2022 See More

tenable

adjective

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

Relevance

defendable
defended
defensible
secured
protected
secure
guarded
safeguarded
unassailable
shielded
invulnerable
inviolable
invincible
impregnable
bulletproof
untouchable
unbeatable
unconquerable
indomitable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

untenable
indefensible
vulnerable
liable
susceptible
open
insecure
unprotected
unsecured
exposed
weak
undefended
helpless
powerless
unguarded
assailable
defenseless
vincible
imperiled
imperilled

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

justifiable
defendable
supportable
viable
acceptable
defensible
legitimate
rational
maintainable
reasonable
sustainable
sensible
admissible
allowable
unobjectionable
provable
explicable
well-grounded
verifiable
warrantable
confirmable
explainable
exceptionable
passable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

untenable
absurd
irrational
ridiculous
unjustifiable
unreasonable
illogical
unsound
extreme
indefensible
unsustainable
unacceptable
objectionable
insupportable
outrageous
unfounded
inexplicable
groundless
unexplainable

单词	tenable
释义	tenable adjective ten·a·ble ˈte-nə-bəl : capable of being held, maintained, or defended : defensible, reasonable tenability ˌte-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē noun tenableness noun tenably ˈte-nə-blē adverb Did you know? Hold Onto the Meaning of Tenable Tenable means "holdable". In the past it was often used in a physical sense—for example, to refer to a city that an army was trying to "hold" militarily against an enemy force. But nowadays it's almost always used when speaking of "held" ideas and theories. If you hold an opinion but evidence appears that completely contradicts it, your opinion is no longer tenable. So, for example, the old ideas that cancer is infectious or that being bled by leeches can cure your whooping cough now seem untenable. Synonyms defendable defensible See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences the soldiers' encampment on the open plain was not tenable, so they retreated to higher ground the tenable theory that a giant meteor strike set off a chain of events resulting in the demise of the dinosaurs Recent Examples on the Web The decades-old biases against technospheres, including the giggle-factor tying them to little green men and UFO conspiracies, are no longer tenable. Adam Frank, The Atlantic, 12 Sep. 2022 For the dirtbag, hygiene is optional, dumbassery is frequent, and a gritty kind of enlightenment might just be tenable. Adrienne Matei, The Atlantic, 26 July 2022 Five Star’s refusal to support the government was enough to convince Draghi that the coalition was no longer tenable. Jason Horowitz, BostonGlobe.com, 14 July 2022 These types of opportunities are inexpensive compared to overall sponsorship, but a more tenable solution for smaller brands. Andrew Faridani, Forbes, 30 June 2022 Is carbon capture a tenable solution to fight climate change? Jennifer Hiller, WSJ, 7 Feb. 2022 After the Holocaust, indulging the unconscious no longer seemed tenable. Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2021 This reluctance to change won’t be tenable for long. Kathy Leake, Forbes, 3 June 2022 And the old-fashioned solution—asking the grandparents to step in as caregivers—is only tenable for about 20% of working mothers, according to a 2013 study. Abby Vesoulis, Time, 7 Apr. 2022 See More Word History Etymology borrowed from Middle French, going back to Old French, "capable of being defended against attack," from tenir "to hold, have possession of" + -able -able — more at tenant entry 1 First Known Use 1579, in the meaning defined above tenable adjective 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 Relevance defendable defended defensible secured protected secure guarded safeguarded unassailable shielded invulnerable inviolable invincible impregnable bulletproof untouchable unbeatable unconquerable indomitable Antonyms & Near Antonyms untenable indefensible vulnerable liable susceptible open insecure unprotected unsecured exposed weak undefended helpless powerless unguarded assailable defenseless vincible imperiled imperilled See More 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 Synonyms & Similar Words justifiable defendable supportable viable acceptable defensible legitimate rational maintainable reasonable sustainable sensible admissible allowable unobjectionable provable explicable well-grounded verifiable warrantable confirmable explainable exceptionable passable Antonyms & Near Antonyms untenable absurd irrational ridiculous unjustifiable unreasonable illogical unsound extreme indefensible unsustainable unacceptable objectionable insupportable outrageous unfounded inexplicable groundless unexplainable See More
随便看	asiphonate Asir ask ask (for) ask after ask around ask for ask for it ask for the moon ask for trouble ask oneself ask someone out askable askance askancer askancest askant askanter askantest askar askarel askari askaris askars asked

tenable

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

adjective