as in misleading
formal
not capable of being defended against attack or criticism; not tenable
an untenable argument The theory is untenable.
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Recent Examples of untenable
While in the south Israel's untenable war aim is to destroy Hamas, Israel's war aim in the north was to weaken and displace Hezbollah.
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Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2024
This presents a critical issue for Congress, as reductions in benefits are politically and socially untenable.
—Mike Sylvester, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024
As word ricochetted around Washington last week that Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Justice was pulling his name amid untenable scrutiny of a dating life alleged to include minors, drugs, and cash, nowhere were the sighs of relief louder than from the DOJ staffers themselves.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 25 Nov. 2024
If the tariffs are simply a negotiating tool, as some tariff proponents say, then universal tariffs are untenable.
—The Editors, National Review, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for untenable 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for untenable
Adjective
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Area roads could become dangerously slick Monday morning as a weak system is expected to bring freezing rain overnight, according to the National Weather Service.Frank Vaisvilas, Journal Sentinel, 22 Dec. 2024
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Houston will be a weaker team in 2025, but one Brown still believes can capture an American League West championship.Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 21 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The lines — in banana yellows, tangerine oranges, cranberry reds — twist and turn and suggest an irrational understanding of how the universe works.Ray Mark Rinaldi, The Denver Post, 16 Dec. 2024
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To prevent yourself from imposing irrational penalties, set up house rules that outline logical consequences in advance.Leslie Garisto Pfaff, Parents, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Left in the dust ‘Cruise’ driverless robot taxis are seen at a parking lot as California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) revokes its self-driving car permit and citing ‘unreasonable risk to public safety’ in San Francisco, California, USA on October 24, 2023.Kristian Burt, CNBC, 11 Dec. 2024
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To determine whether those amounts posed an unreasonable risk of harm, the agency compared them to a specific benchmark — the highest concentration of formaldehyde measured by government monitors in outdoor air between 2015 and 2020.Sharon Lerner and Al Shaw, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near untenable
Cite this Entry
“Untenable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/untenable. Accessed 28 Dec. 2024.
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