Untenable Meaning
/əˈntɛnəbəl/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjNot able to be held or sustained, such as of an opinion or position.
adjUnfit for habitation.
Sentence Examples
Pacifism is an untenable ideology.
Our view is that such policies are untenable.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The scientist's argument became completely ____ after new evidence disproved his theory.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
His position in the company became ____ after it was revealed that he had been sharing secrets with a rival group today.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English tenable English untenable From un- + tenable.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"They are seeking to escape from the unpleasant implications of an untenable status dilemma. They desire but cannot afford a prestigious social status."
— 1970, Gary Schwartz, Sect Ideologies and Social Status, page 219:
"The rumors about Anderson nevertheless placed Glasgow in an untenable social position, for close friends either suspected or knew of their engagement."
— 1998, Susan Goodman, Ellen Glasgow: a biography, page 149:
"The modern family would be an artificial and untenable social structure in this early period, just as the clan appears to be an artificial institution in our own society."
— 2012, Heather A. Brown, Marx on Gender and the Family: A Critical Study, page 183:
"Celebrating him [Robert E. Lee] in the time of George Floyd became, at last, untenable."
— 2021 October 26, Peter Baker, “The Case Against Winston Churchill”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
"He describes the untenable position of the railways' finances reasonably dispassionately. From 1952 onwards, British Railways ran an operational deficit, and in 1961 made an annual loss of £86.9 million."
— 2023 March 8, Gareth Dennis, “The Reshaping of things to come...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 44:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The scientist's argument became completely ____ after new evidence disproved his theory.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
His position in the company became ____ after it was revealed that he had been sharing secrets with a rival group today.