SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
tenuous
adjective
Weak, slight, or not strongly supported.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Weak or slight
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topTenuous connections or arguments have little support. Precarious emphasizes instability, and doubtful identifies uncertainty rather than the underlying weakness.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See tenuous in use
The argument relied on a tenuous connection between the two events.
A theater group planned a weekend performance in a borrowed courtyard. Its position was precarious because permission depended on a renovation finishing in time. The group's connection with the owner was tenuous: only one former member had ever spoken with her.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license