tentative

[ ten-tuh-tiv ]
/ ˈtɛn tə tɪv /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR tentative ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of the nature of or made or done as a trial, experiment, or attempt; experimental: a tentative report on her findings.
unsure; uncertain; not definite or positive; hesitant: a tentative smile on his face.

Origin of tentative

1580–90; < Medieval Latin tentātīvus, equivalent to Latin tentāt(us) (past participle of tentāre, variant of temptāre to test; see tempt) + -īvus -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM tentative

Words nearby tentative

tent trailer, tentacle, tentacled, tentage, tentation, tentative, tented, tenter, tenterhook, tenterhooks, tenth

Words related to tentativeness

delay, delaying, doubt, dubiety, equivocation, fluctuation, hesitancy, indecision, indecisiveness, indisposition, irresolution, misgiving, mistrust, oscillation, pause, qualm, reluctance, scruple, shilly-shally, skepticism

Example sentences from the Web for tentativeness

  • In Libya, the crisis of American tentativeness has grown worse almost by the day.

    Obama's Middle East Head Spin |Christopher Dickey, John Barry |April 22, 2011 |DAILY BEAST

  • But in Libya the crisis of American tentativeness has grown worse almost by the day.

    Obama's Middle East Head Spin |Christopher Dickey, John Barry |April 22, 2011 |DAILY BEAST

  • Lute's eyes were quizzical as she asked with a tentativeness that was palpably assumed, "With—a—with Mr. Barton?"

    Moon-Face and Other Stories |Jack London

  • The fact that he remained standing imparted a tentativeness to the situation.

    The Shadow |Arthur Stringer

British Dictionary definitions for tentativeness

tentative
/ (ˈtɛntətɪv) /

adjective

provisional or experimental; conjectural
hesitant, uncertain, or cautious

Derived forms of tentative

tentatively, adverb tentativeness, noun

Word Origin for tentative

C16: from Medieval Latin tentātīvus, from Latin tentāre to test