tenable
adjective
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Hold Onto the Meaning of Tenable
Tenable means "holdable". In the past it was often used in a physical sense—for example, to refer to a city that an army was trying to "hold" militarily against an enemy force. But nowadays it's almost always used when speaking of "held" ideas and theories. If you hold an opinion but evidence appears that completely contradicts it, your opinion is no longer tenable. So, for example, the old ideas that cancer is infectious or that being bled by leeches can cure your whooping cough now seem untenable.
Examples of tenable in a Sentence
Dorothy Wickenden, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
Amid cord-cutting, that business model doesn't appear tenable.
—Tim Baysinger, Axios, 17 Sep. 2024
An all-American era With the US military's reliance on Russian rocket engines no longer politically tenable, and SpaceX ready to launch military satellites at lower cost with an all-American, partially reusable rocket, ULA announced the development of a new launch vehicle named Vulcan in 2015.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 30 July 2024
In recent days, as Biden’s position became less tenable, some Democrats have urged an open nomination process rather than a coronation of the vice president.
—Cleve R. Wootson Jr., Washington Post, 22 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for tenable 
Dictionary Entries Near tenable
Cite this Entry
“Tenable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenable. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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tenable
adjective
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