Tentative: meaning, definitions and examples

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tentative

 

[ ˈtɛntətɪv ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

in decision-making

not definite or certain; hesitant

Synonyms

hesitant, indecisive, uncertain

Examples of usage

  • He gave a tentative smile, not sure if he should trust her.
  • She made a tentative offer, waiting to see the response.
Context #2 | Adjective

experimental

done without confidence; hesitant

Synonyms

experimental, provisional, trial

Examples of usage

  • The company made a tentative approach to the new market.
  • She took a tentative step towards her dream.

Translations

Translations of the word "tentative" in other languages:

🇵🇹 provisório

🇮🇳 अस्थायी

🇩🇪 vorläufig

🇮🇩 sementara

🇺🇦 попередній

🇵🇱 tymczasowy

🇯🇵 仮の

🇫🇷 provisoire

🇪🇸 provisional

🇹🇷 geçici

🇰🇷 임시의

🇸🇦 مؤقت

🇨🇿 provizorní

🇸🇰 predbežný

🇨🇳 暂时的

🇸🇮 začasen

🇮🇸 bráðabirgða

🇰🇿 уақытша

🇬🇪 დროებითი

🇦🇿 müvəqqəti

🇲🇽 provisional

Etymology

The word 'tentative' originated from the Latin word 'tentativus', which means 'involving trial or experiment'. The term evolved in the late 19th century to describe something not definite or certain. Over time, 'tentative' has been widely used in decision-making contexts to denote hesitation or uncertainty.

See also: tent, tenting.

Word Frequency Rank

At #7,443 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.