• Today's Word

Tenuous

🔊 Listen to the word Tenuous

TEN-yoo-us

Definition

(adjective) Weak, fragile, or insubstantial; having little strength, substance, or basis.

Example

Their partnership rested on a tenuous agreement that neither side fully trusted.

Word Origin

From Latin tenuis, meaning “thin” or “slender,” referring to something delicate or stretched out.

Fun Fact

In science, a tenuous atmosphere refers to one that’s thin and lacking density—like Mars’s or the upper reaches of Earth’s air. In language, the same image applies to fragile relationships or shaky ideas. Something tenuous feels as if it could collapse with the slightest breeze—a reminder of how fine the line can be between stability and uncertainty.