# tenuous

**Pronunciation:** /ˈtɛn.jʊ.əs/ · TEN-yoo-us

**CEFR level:** C1

**Part of speech:** adjective

## 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.
- The company's tenuous grip on the market was threatened by the arrival of a new competitor.

## 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.
- The lawyer's tenuous grasp of the facts was evident in her questioning.

## 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.
- The tenuous peace was fragile and easily broken.

## Synonyms

- lacking strength or intensity
- easily broken or damaged
- narrow or limited in scope
- questionable or uncertain
- uncertain or unstable

## Antonyms

- having a great deal of power or intensity
- firm or unshakeable
- clearly defined or tangible

## Common patterns

- have a tenuous connection — to have a weak or barely existing relationship — The two companies have a tenuous connection through a shared supplier.
- be tenuously linked — to be connected in a weak or uncertain way — The two ideas are tenuously linked, but the connection is not immediately clear.

## Collocations

- a tenuous thread — The tenuous thread of their conversation was broken when the phone rang.
- a tenuous grip — The company's tenuous grip on the market was threatened by the arrival of a new competitor.

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