untenable

English

Etymology

un- +‎ tenable

Adjective

untenable (comparative more untenable, superlative most untenable)

1. Not able to be held, as of an opinion or position; unholdable, indefensible.

   The theory of cold fusion was untenable.

Usage notes

• Nouns often used with "controversial": argument, doctrine, theory, hypothesis, view, position, notion, etc..

Antonyms

• tenable
• defensible

Translations

Not able to be held, as of an opinion or position

Bosnian: neodrživ (bs) Czech: neudržitelný (cs) Dutch: onhoudbaar Finnish: kestämätön (fi) French: intenable (fr)

German: unhaltbar (de) Norwegian Bokmål: uholdbar Spanish: insostenible

Related terms

• tenant

External links

• untenable in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• untenable in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• untenable at OneLook Dictionary Search