Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Tenable |
TenableAdjective1. Based on sound reasoning or evidence; "a reasonable argument"; "well-founded suspicions". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "tenable" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1380. (references) |
Etymology: Tenable \Ten"a*ble\, adjective. [French expression tenable, from tenir to hold, from Latin expression tenere. See Thin, and compare to Continue, Continent, Entertain, Maintain, Tenant, Tent.]. (Websters 1913) |
Synonym: TenableSynonym: well-founded (adj). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Concealment | Phrase: it must go no further, it will go no further; don't tell a soul;"tell it not in Gath," nobody the wiser; alitur vitium vivitque tegendo; "let it be tenable in your silence still". |
Safety | Defensible, tenable, proof against, invulnerable; unassailable, unattackable, impenetrable; impregnable, imperdible; inexpugnable; Achillean. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Tenable |
| Specialty definitions using "tenable": Delusions. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "tenable": tenacious, tenet, tenor, tenure. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Tenable" is also a word in the following language with the English translation in parentheses. French (endurable). |
| Title | Author | Quote |
Les Miserables | Hugo, Victor | If that continued, the barricade was no longer tenable. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "Tenable" is generally used as an adjective (general or positive) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Tenable" is used about 107 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 100% | 107 | 31,463 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| Language | Translations for "tenable"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | i përshtatshëm (adapt, adequate, adjustable, appropriate, becoming, befitting, canny, comely, competent, congruous, convenient, decent, desirable, done, due, elastic, eligible, expedient, fit, fitting, germane, handy, likely, livable, liveable, opportune, Pat, proper, propitious, qualified, rated, relevant, seemly, suitable, suited, well-becoming, well-suited), i fortë (able bodied, adamant, adamantine, brawny, cast iron, cogent, decuman, Doughty, durable, endurable, enduring, fast, fierce, firm, flinty, forceful, Hale, hard, Hardy, heavy duty, high pitched, intense, intensive, keen, lancinating, nervous, oaky, potent, powerful, red blooded, refractory, resistant, robust, rocky, rough, rugged, screamy, serviceable, sharp, smart, solid, sound, spanking, stable, staunch, steely, stentorian, stiff, stout, strong, sturdy, swashing, swingeing, tenacious, tough, two-fisted, vehement, vigorous, violent, virile, virulent, well-built, well-set), i bazuar (based, founded, sound, well founded, well grounded). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | ممكن الحفاظ عليه, ممكن الدفاع عنه, ممكن دعمه. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bulgarian | който може да се заема, който може да се държи. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | udržitelný, obhajitelný (arguable, defensible). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Farsi | نگاه داشتنی , قابل مدافعه , قابل تصرف . (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | paikkansapitävä (accurate, correct), pätevä (able, accomplished, capable, competent, qualified, valid). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | soutenable, défendable. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | haltbar (defensible, durable, firm, hard-wearing, lasting, long lasting, maintainable, robust, savable, saveable, stable, stoppable, sturdy, supportable, tenably, tolerable, vindicable). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | συγκράτητοσ (controllable, restrainable), υπεράσπιστοσ (defensible), υποστηρίξιμοσ (supportable). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hebrew | ש תן ל"חזיק בו, עמי" (durable, resisting), בר "' ". (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | tartható, megvédhető. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | sostenibile (arguable), logico (consistent, logical, logically, logician, sound), detenibile. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Manx | ny lhie rish resoon, fendeilagh (defendant, defender, defensive, protective, protector). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | enabletay sustentável, lógico (argumentative, dialectic, logic, logical, logician, sequacious, straight), defensável (defensible), convincente (closing, cogent, conclusive, convincing, demonstrative, forceless, forcible, persuasiveness, potent, silver, straitlaced, stringent, two-fisted, valid, weighty). (various references) solid (awfully, big, deep, durable, enduring, fast, firm, firmly, hard, hard and fast, hefty, massive, massy, portly, profound, reliable, rocky, rugged, safe, secure, serious, solid, solidly, sound, soundly, Square, stable, sterling, stiff, stout, strapping, strong, tough, well knit), care poate fi apãrat (defensible). (various references) логичный. (various references) održiv, logičan (logical), branjiv. (various references) sostenible (sustainable), defendible (arguable, defendable, defensible). (various references) hållbar (durable, lasting, serviceable, valid). (various references) ที่สามารถกระทำในช่วงระยะเวลาหนึ่ง, ที่สมเหตุสมผล (justifiable), ยึ"ถือไ"้. (various references) tutulabilir, savunulabilir (defendable, defensible). (various references) розумний (advisable, brainy, clever, intelligent, rational, reasonable, right-minded, sapient, sensible, sharp-sighted, sharp-witted, snappy, strong-minded, understanding, well advised, wise, witty), що закріплений, обороноздатний. (various references) giữ được (keeping), biện hộ được, bảo vệ được, địa vị (better, bettor, dominance, place, status). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | tenere. (various references) |
| Old French | 900-1400 | tenir. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "tenable": tenableness, tenablenesses. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "tenable": listenable, unlistenable, untenable. (additional references) | |
| |
"Tenable" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: Etxabe, tanable, teabe, tenal, Tendale, teneable, teneble, tennable, tinnable, tonale, toneable, Trenhaile, Tyndalle. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "tenable" (pronounced te"nubul) |
| 7 | t e" n u b u l | untenable. |
| 6 | -e" n u b u l | amenable. |
| 5 | -n u b u l | abominable, actionable, attainable, burnable, cannibal, Combinable, definable, determinable, discernible, explainable, fashionable, fissionable, imaginable, impregnable, impressionable, inalienable, indefinable, interminable, objectionable, obtainable, personable, questionable, reasonable, returnable, seasonable, sustainable, trainable, tunable, unalienable, unattainable, unconscionable, unexplainable, unfashionable, ungovernable, unimaginable, unmentionable, unobtainable, unquestionable, unreasonable, unsustainable, unwinnable, winnable. |
| 4 | -u b u l | acceptable, accessible, accountable, achievable, adaptable, addressable, adjustable, admirable, admissible, adoptable, adorable, advisable, affable, affordable, agreeable, allowable, amendable, amiable, amicable, analyzable, answerable, appealable, applicable, appreciable, approachable, approvable, arable, arguable, attributable, audible, available, avoidable, bankable, bearable, believable, billable, biodegradable, breakable, buildable, callable, capable, changeable, chargeable, charitable, classifiable, collapsible, collectible, comfortable, commendable, communicable, comparable, compatible, compensable, comprehensible, conceivable, confirmable, considerable, constable, consumable, contemptible, contestable, controllable, convertible, copyrightable, countable, credible, creditable, crucible, culpable, curable, debatable, deductible, defensible, degradable, delectable, deliverable, demonstrable, dependable, deplorable, deployable, depreciable, describable, desirable, despicable, detachable, detectable, developable, digestible, disagreeable, discountable, discoverable, dishonorable, dispensable, disposable, disreputable, distinguishable, divisible, doable, drinkable, drivable, durable, eatable, edible, electable, eligible, Embraceable, employable, enforceable, enjoyable, enviable, equable, equitable, erasable, erodible, estimable, exchangeable, excitable, excludable, excusable, execrable, exercisable, expandable, expendable, exportable, extendable, extendible, fallible, fathomable, favorable, feasible, fixable, flammable, flexible, forcible, foreseeable, forfeitable, forgettable, forgivable, formidable, fungible, fusible, gullible, habitable, harvestable, heritable, hon, honorable, horrible, hospitable, identifiable, illegible, imitable, immiscible, immovable, immutable, impassable, impeachable, impeccable, impenetrable, imperceptible, impermissible, implacable, implantable, implausible, imponderable, impossible, impracticable, improbable, inaccessible, inadmissible, inadvisable, inapplicable, inaudible, incalculable, incapable, incomparable, incompatible, incomprehensible, incompressible, inconceivable, incontrovertible, incorrigible, incredible, incurable, indefatigable, indefensible, indelible, indescribable, indestructible, indispensable, indisputable, indistinguishable, indivisible, indomitable, inedible, ineffable, ineligible, inequitable, inescapable, inevitable, inexcusable, inexhaustible, inexorable, inexplicable, infallible, infeasible, inflammable, inflatable, inflexible, inheritable, inhospitable, inimitable, injectable, innumerable, inoperable, insatiable, inscrutable, inseparable, insoluble, insufferable, insupportable, insurmountable, intangible, intelligible, interchangeable, interruptible, intolerable, intractable, invaluable, investable, invincible, inviolable, invisible, invulnerable, irascible, irreconcilable, irrefutable, irremediable, irreparable, irreplaceable, irrepressible, irresistible, irresponsible, irreversible, irrevocable, irritable, issuable, justifiable, knowledgeable, lamentable, laudable, laughable, leasable, legible, liable, likable, likeable, livable, lovable, malleable, manageable, mandible, maneuverable, marketable, measurable, memorable, microwavable, miscible, miserable, moldable, movable, navigable, negligible, negotiable, noncallable, nonconvertible, nondeductible, nondurable, nonrefundable, nonrenewable, nontaxable, nontransferable, notable, noticeable, observable, operable, ostensible, palatable, palpable, parable, passable, patentable, payable, peaceable, perceptible, perishable, permeable, permissible, persuadable, pitiable, plausible, pleasurable, pliable, portable, possible, potable, practicable, predictable, preferable, presentable, preventable, printable, probable, profitable, programmable, prosecutable, provable, punishable, quotable, reachable, readable, realizable, receivable, rechargeable, recognizable, recordable, recoverable, recyclable, redeemable, redoubtable, reducible, refundable, regrettable, reliable, remarkable, removable, renewable, rentable, repairable, repayable, repeatable, replaceable, reportable, reprehensible, reputable, resealable, resettable, respectable, responsible, retractable, reusable, reversible, revocable, ridable, salable, saleable, salvageable, sensible, serviceable, sizable, sizeable, sociable, soluble, solvable, spendable, submersible, suggestible, suitable, supportable, survivable, susceptible, syllable, talkable, tangible, taxable, teachable, terrible, tolerable, traceable, tractable, tradable, tradeable, transferable, transferrable, transmittable, transportable, treatable, typeable, unacceptable, unaccountable, unaffordable, unalterable, unanswerable, unassailable, unavailable, unavoidable, unbearable, unbeatable, unbelievable, unbuildable, uncollectible, uncomfortable, uncontrollable, undeniable, understandable, undesirable, undetectable, unelectable, unemployable, unenforceable, unenviable, unfathomable, unfavorable, unfeasible, unflappable, unforeseeable, unforgettable, unforgivable, unimpeachable, uninhabitable, uninsurable, unintelligible, unjustifiable, unknowable, unlivable, unmanageable, unmistakable, unpalatable, unpredictable, unprintable, unprofitable, unreachable, unreadable, unrecognizable, unreliable, unremarkable, unsalable, unshakable, unsinkable, unsolvable, unspeakable, unstoppable, unsuitable, unsupportable, unthinkable, untouchable, untraceable, unusable, unverifiable, unworkable, usable, variable, vegetable, venerable, verifiable, veritable, viable, visible, voluble, vulnerable, washable, wearable, workable. |
| 3 | -b u l | able, amble, assemble, babble, Babel, bauble, bible, bramble, bubble, Bumble, cable, cobble, coble, corbel, crumble, cymbal, dabble, Dibble, disable, disassemble, dissemble, double, Drabble, dribble, enable, enfeeble, ennoble, ensemble, fable, feeble, foible, fumble, gable, gamble, Garble, global, gobble, Gribble, grumble, hardscrabble, herbal, hobble, humble, ignoble, immeasurable, immobile, intertribal, jumble, kibble, label, libel, marble, mislabel, mobile, mumble, nibble, nimble, noble, nonverbal, pebble, preamble, psychobabble, quibble, rabble, ramble, reassemble, rebel, redouble, relabel, resemble, Roble, rouble, roundtable, rubble, Ruble, rumble, sable, Scrabble, scramble, scribble, shamble, Sibyl, squabble, Stabile, stable, stubble, stumble, symbol, table, thimble, timetable, treble, tremble, tribal, trouble, tubal, tumble, turntable, umbel, unable, unscramble, unserviceable, unstable, valuable, verbal, wamble, wobble. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "a-b-e-e-l-n-t" | |
-1 letter: baleen, beaten, enable, lateen. | |
-2 letters: abele, anele, betel, blate, bleat, blent, eaten, elate, enate, laten, leant, leben, table, telae. | |
-3 letters: abet, able, alee, ante, bale, bane, bate, bean, beat, been, beet, belt, bene, bent, beta, blae, blat, blet, elan, etna, lane, late, lean, leet, lent, nabe, neat, tael, tale, teal, teel, teen, tela, tele. | |
-4 letters: alb, ale, alt, ane, ant, ate, bal, ban, bat, bee, bel, ben, bet, eat, eel, eta, lab, lat, lea, lee, let, nab, nae, neb, nee, net, tab, tae, tan, tea, tee, tel, ten. | |
-5 letters: ab, ae, al, an, at, ba, be, el, en, et, la, na, ne, ta. | |
| Words containing the letters "a-b-e-e-l-n-t" | |
+1 letter: nestable, nettable, rentable, tuneable. | |
+2 letters: blanketed, celebrant, detonable, enterable, stablemen, tenurable, uneatable, untenable. | |
+3 letters: antebellum, babblement, bafflement, battlement, binucleate, blanquette, celebrants, embalmment, extendable, inevitable, injectable, integrable, investable, lamentable, listenable, negotiable, noticeable, oblateness, patentable, penetrable, rabblement, resemblant, returnable, stableness, tabernacle, tenantable, terminable, unbeatable, untestable. | |
+4 letters: babblements, bafflements, balletomane, battlements, beastliness, belatedness, binucleated, blanketlike, blanquettes, celebrating, celebration, connectable, contestable, demountable, detonatable, disablement, embalmments, entablature, exuberantly, fermentable, glabrescent, inalterable, ineluctable, inequitable, inestimable, inflectable, inheritable, injectables, intolerable, langbeinite, libertinage, mentionable, notableness, potableness, presentable, presentably, preventable, rabblements, retrainable, returnables, tabernacled, tabernacles, talebearing, tenableness, treasonable, tunableness, unalterable, undebatable, unelaborate, unelectable, unexcitable, unliberated, unteachable, untraceable, unutterable. | |
+5 letters: absoluteness, balletomanes, basementless, battlemented, bedazzlement, bicentennial, celebrations, concelebrant, concelebrate, cybernetical, deliberating, deliberation, demonstrable, determinable, determinably, disablements, documentable, embattlement, emblazonment, entablatures, halterbroken, identifiable, impenetrable, impenetrably, inextricable, interminable, jettisonable, langbeinites, libertinages, magnetizable, merchantable, oblanceolate, oblatenesses, pitiableness, questionable, renegotiable, renewability, restrainable, sedimentable, stablenesses, suitableness, talebearings, tangibleness, technobabble, tenabilities, transferable, unacceptable, unbreathable, uncelebrated, undetectable, unlistenable, unmarketable, unnegotiable, unnoticeable, unpatentable, unrepeatable, unreturnable, unstableness, venerability. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)54 65 6E 61 62 6C 65 |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
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| American Sign Language (origins from 1620-1817 in Italy and, especially, France) (references)
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| Semaphore (1791, in France) (references)
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| Braille (1829, in France) (references)
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Morse Code (1836) (references)- . -. .- -... .-.. . |
| Dancing Men (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1903) (references)
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Binary Code (1918-1938, probably earlier) (references)01010100 01100101 01101110 01100001 01100010 01101100 01100101 |
HTML Code (1990) (references)T e n a b l e |
ISO 10646 (1991-1993) (references)0054 0065 006E 0061 0062 006C 0065 |
| British Sign Language (Fingerspelling, BSL; 1992, British Deaf Association Dictionary of British Sign Language) (references)
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Encryption (beginner's substitution cypher): (references)54718067687871 |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Quotations: Fiction | 5. Usage Frequency 6. Translations: Modern 7. Translations: Ancient 8. Derivations | 9. Rhymes 10. Anagrams 11. Orthography 12. Bibliography |
Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
