Tenuous

/ˈtɛnjʊəs/

Meaning & Definition

adjective

Very weak or slight; insubstantial.

The evidence presented in the trial was tenuous at best, lacking any real substance.

Having little substance or significance.

Her arguments for the proposal were tenuous, relying more on emotion than on facts.

Spindly or slender; thin.

The tenuous threads of the spider's web glistened in the morning dew.

From Latin tenuis meaning 'thin' or 'slender'.

tenuous link

A weak or uncertain connection between two ideas or situations.

tenuous grasp

A weak understanding or control over something.

tenuity

The quality of being thin or slender.

attenuate

To reduce in force, effect, or value.

A weak argument or position.

His stance on the issue was so tenuous, it fell apart under scrutiny.

Something that is not very credible.

Her alibi was tenuous, lacking any real proof.