tenuous

[ ten-yoo-uhs ]
/ ˈtɛn yu əs /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR tenuous ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

thin or slender in form, as a thread.
lacking a sound basis, as reasoning; unsubstantiated; weak: a tenuous argument.
thin in consistency; rare or rarefied.
of slight importance or significance; unsubstantial: He holds a rather tenuous position in history.
lacking in clarity; vague: He gave a rather tenuous account of his past life.

Origin of tenuous

First recorded in 1590–1600; tenu(ity) + -ous

OTHER WORDS FROM tenuous

Words nearby tenuous

tentorium, tentorium cerebelli, tenty, tenuis, tenuity, tenuous, tenure, tenure-track, tenured, tenuto, tenzing

Words related to tenuous

questionable, shaky, flimsy, dubious, nebulous, sketchy, delicate, insubstantial, aerial, airy, attenuate, doubtful, ethereal, fine, gossamer, insignificant, light, narrow, rare, rarefied

Example sentences from the Web for tenuous

British Dictionary definitions for tenuous

tenuous
/ (ˈtɛnjʊəs) /

adjective

insignificant or flimsy a tenuous argument
slim, fine, or delicate a tenuous thread
diluted or rarefied in consistency or density a tenuous fluid

Derived forms of tenuous

tenuity (tɛˈnjʊɪtɪ) or tenuousness, noun tenuously, adverb

Word Origin for tenuous

C16: from Latin tenuis