tenuous

Meaning 1: when describing a connection

A connection or relationship that is weak or barely existing, often to the point of being questionable or unimportant.

Examples

• The tenuous thread of their conversation was broken when the phone rang.
• There is a tenuous connection between the two ideas, but it's not immediately clear.

Meaning 2: when describing a argument

weak or unconvincing

Examples

• The argument was tenuous and failed to convince the jury.
• The evidence presented was tenuous at best, and the case was dismissed.

Meaning 3: when describing a situation

precarious or uncertain

Examples

• The situation was tenuous, with both sides refusing to back down.
• The company's financial situation was tenuous, and bankruptcy was a real possibility.

Pronunciation: /ˈtɛn.jʊ.əs/

How to Use tenuous

have a tenuous connection (idiom)

to have a weak or barely existing relationship — "The two companies have a tenuous connection through a shared supplier."

be tenuously linked (phrase)

to be connected in a weak or uncertain way — "The two ideas are tenuously linked, but the connection is not immediately clear."