The Meaning of Untenable: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know the definition of untenable? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word untenable, including its definition, etymology, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What does the word untenable mean?

According to Collins English Dictionary and the American Heritage Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language fifth edition, the word untenable is an adjective that means incapable of being maintained, vindicated, or defended against attack or regarding theories and propositions. It can also be used to refer to a house or dwelling that is unfit for occupation. One can also add the suffixes ty adv, ity and ness n to the end on untenable in place of ble to form the related words untenably (adv.), untenability (n.) and untenableness (n.). Untenable is four syllables – un-ten-a-ble, and the pronunciation of untenable is ʌntenəbəl.

Many things can be untenable, like untenable quarters with a usage problem, an untenable lecture, a sense of untenable sadness, an untenable job offer, untenable destruction, untenable artillery fire, untenable tragedy, an untenable stance, and more.

Many different languages also contain words that mean untenable. You may notice that many of these translations of untenable look and sound similar to one another. These are called cognates, which are words of different languages that look and sound alike while also retaining a similar meaning. These are often formed when two words or languages have the same root or language of origin. This list of translations of the word untenable is provided by Word Sense but you could also find them in a Spanish dictionary unabridged 8th edition, German dictionary 12th edition, Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary Unabridged 7th Edition,  or Italian dictionary 1st edition.

  •  Italian: insostenibile‎, indifendibile‎
  •  Portuguese: insustentável‎
  •  Serbo-Croatian: neodrživ‎
  •  Russian: несостоя́тельный‎
  •  Spanish: insostenible‎
  •  Norwegian Bokmål: uholdbar‎
  •  Hungarian: tarthatatlan‎
  •  Swedish: ohållbar‎, oförsvarlig‎
  •  Finnish: kestämätön‎
  •  German: unhaltbar‎, unvertretbar‎
  •  Dutch: onhoudbaar‎
  •  Turkish: müdafaası imkânsız‎, savunulamaz‎
  •  Czech: neudržitelný‎
  •  French: intenable‎
  •  Mandarin: 站不住腳的‎ , 立場薄弱的‎

What are synonyms and antonyms of untenable?

There are many different words and phrases that a person can choose to use in place of the word untenable. These are called synonyms, which are defined as words and phrases with the same definition as another word or phrase. Learning synonyms is a great way to expand your English vocabulary and avoid repeating yourself. This list of synonyms of untenable is from Power Thesaurus.

  •  casuistic
  •  unsubstantiated
  •  disgraceful
  •  weak
  •  thin
  •  unreasonable
  •  beyond the pale
  •  unjustified
  •  unsound
  •  defenceless
  •  senseless
  •  inexcusable
  •  criticizable
  •  spurious
  •  insufficient
  •  weaker
  •  invalid
  •  feeble
  •  unmaintainable
  •  indefensible
  •  unsatisfactory
  •  sophistic
  •  unsustainable
  •  baseless
  •  unfounded
  •  incorrect
  •  groundless
  •  insupportable
  •  unconscionable
  •  helpless
  •  pregnable
  •  uninhabitable
  •  blameworthy
  •  unacceptable
  •  unconvincing
  •  unbearable
  •  deceptive
  •  ungrounded
  •  unsupportable
  •  empty
  •  undue
  •  absurd
  •  false
  •  objectionable
  •  deplorable
  •  fallacious
  •  inadmissible
  •  flimsy
  •  without substantiation
  •  flawed
  •  idle
  •  foundationless
  •  unpermissible
  •  weakest
  •  unendurable
  •  uncorroborated
  •  illogical
  •  unprotected
  •  inadequate
  •  unscientific
  •  unsuitable
  •  inconceivable
  •  not defensible
  •  suspect
  •  undefendable
  •  arbitrary
  •  likeliest
  •  unpardonable
  •  wrong
  •  specious
  •  unviable
  •  unatonable
  •  questionable
  •  irrational
  •  inexpiable
  •  defective
  •  vulnerable
  •  inappropriate
  •  unsanctionable
  •  erroneous
  •  unforgivable
  •  unwarrantable
  •  shaky
  •  impossible
  •  unwarranted
  •  unjustifiable
  •  tenuous
  •  implausible
  •  unsupported
  •  incredible
  •  faulty
  •  intolerable
  •  not forgivable
  •  vincible
  •  untrue
  •  uncalled-for
  •  unverifiable
  •  bad
  •  defenseless
  •  ill-founded 

There are also many different words that have the opposite meaning as the word untenable. These opposite words are called antonyms, which are another quick and easy way to expand your English language vocabulary. This list of antonyms is also provided by Power Thesaurus

  •  ​​allowed
  •  law-abiding
  •  decent
  •  sustainable
  •  lawful
  •  favourable
  •  conscientious
  •  true
  •  justifiable
  •  good
  •  right
  •  acceptable
  •  condign
  •  kosher
  •  based on
  •  reputable
  •  legitimate
  •  right-minded
  •  justified
  •  meritorious
  •  requisite
  •  principled
  •  righteous
  •  certain
  •  rational
  •  laudable
  •  proper
  •  genuine
  •  respectable
  •  moralistic
  •  on the up and up
  •  fair-minded
  •  competent
  •  faithful
  •  reasonable
  •  exact
  •  due
  •  earned
  •  fitting
  •  equitable
  •  clean
  •  deserved
  •  guiltless
  •  convincing
  •  blameless
  •  legal
  •  honest
  •  high-principled
  •  high-minded
  •  plausible
  •  legit
  •  conscionable
  •  sound
  •  creditable
  •  saintly
  •  permissible
  •  arguable
  •  pure
  •  moral
  •  incorruptible
  •  allowable
  •  rightful
  •  reliable
  •  impartial
  •  admirable
  •  just
  •  defendable
  •  credible
  •  evidence-based
  •  appropriate
  •  noble
  •  defensible
  •  as tough as old boots
  •  scrupulous
  •  real
  •  irreproachable
  •  on the level
  •  all-conquering
  •  honourable
  •  nice
  •  praiseworthy
  •  dependable
  •  honorable
  •  fit
  •  valid
  •  anti-corruption
  •  exemplary
  •  ethical
  •  innocent
  •  merited
  •  logical
  •  favorable
  •  above board
  •  practical
  •  supportable
  •  fair
  •  all right
  •  correct
  •  nondiscriminatory
  •  sensible

How can the word untenable be used in a sentence?

There are many different ways in which the word untenable can be used in a sentence in the English language. Using words in a sentence is a fantastic way to familiarize yourself with their definitions and add them to your vocabulary. You can also try making flashcards or a quiz for yourself to test your knowledge of the definitions of different words. Try using this new word of the day in a sentence today! Below are several different examples of using the word untenable in a sentence to help get your started.

The lies about his own status grew to an untenable degree. It did not register that he would have to back up all of these lies over the life of Nelson – he went to UC Merced, not Princeton University. He was not a film director, nont an artist. He lied in various situations as shortcuts and the emotional burden was finally too much. There was little enthusiasm shown when he revealed the truth. 

The graduate student presented an untenable thesis topic about the storm trajectory. There was no way that he could get to the location to study where these hurricanes bloom, so the committee passed judgment on that. They advised him to keep the majority report of his thesis in a traditional sense, and to not do anything he could not defend on the panel later.

Mahan put down a usage note in her bookmark of the manuscript. The protagonist’s goal was untenable, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company and Harpercollins Publishers could never promote that kind of horrible goal of destruction. 

Overall, the word untenable (adj.) means indefensible or incapable of being maintained. This can also mean unfit for occupation.

Sources:

  1. Untenable definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary 
  2. untenable: meaning, origin, translation | Word Sense 
  3. Untenable synonyms – 459 Words and Phrases for Untenable | Power Thesaurus 
  4. Untenable antonyms – 142 Opposites of Untenable | Power Thesaurus