tenuous

/tɪˈnjuː.əs/

adjective

  1. Weak, uncertain, or not well supported.

    B2

    usually before a noun or after a linking verb

    • "The evidence for his claim is tenuous."B2
    • "The connection between the two events is tenuous at best."B2

  2. Very thin, slight, delicate, or easily broken.

    C1
    • "She had only a tenuous hold on the rope."B2
    • "The tenuous thread of the spider's web shimmered in the sunlight."A2

Common mistakes

  • tenuous→tenacious

    Tenacious means holding fast or persistent, not weak or slight.

Collocations

tenuous connectiontenuous linktenuous evidencetenuous relationshiptenuous hold

Word family

tenuouslytenuousness