Definition
Tenuous means stretched thin — from the Latin tenuis, 'thin, fine'. A tenuous thread, a tenuous grip, a tenuous connection between two ideas: in every case there is barely enough substance to hold. The word is a favorite for arguments and links that are technically present but unconvincing — a tenuous claim rests on almost nothing. What is tenuous has not broken, but it is precarious, and the smallest strain may be enough to part it.
Examples
- The evidence for the theory is tenuous, resting on a single disputed study.
- He kept a tenuous hold on the ledge until help arrived.
- Their connection was tenuous, yet it managed to persist for years on a few letters.
Collocations
a tenuous link·a tenuous grasp·tenuous evidence·a tenuous connection
Synonyms
flimsy·slight·fragile·precarious·insubstantial
Antonyms
strong·solid·substantial
Word family
tenuously (adverb)·tenuousness (noun)
In TOEFL & IELTS
A band-8 word for evaluating arguments: in IELTS and TOEFL writing, calling a link or claim 'tenuous' is a precise, academic way to say the reasoning is weak. Reading passages use 'a tenuous connection/grasp' both literally and figuratively. Keep the collocations 'a tenuous link' and 'tenuous evidence', and don't confuse it with 'tenacious' (holding on firmly) — almost its opposite.