tenable

Imagine building a sandcastle near the ocean. If the tide is coming in fast, your castle is not tenable because it will not hold for long. A tenable position or argument is one that can be defended with good reason. It is something you can reasonably keep or support when people question it.

Think of a plan for getting home during a snowstorm. If your car has snow tires, gas in the tank, and you know the roads, that is a tenable plan. But if your car is out of gas and you do not have winter tires, the plan is not tenable. The word comes from the Latin tenere, meaning "to hold," which fits the idea of something that can be held, defended, or kept going.

The word "tenable" describes something that can be maintained, defended, or upheld against opposition or challenge. It usually suggests that there are solid reasons or conditions supporting it. A tenable argument is not just any opinion; it is one backed by evidence and reasoning strong enough to withstand scrutiny. For example: "Her claim about the budget cuts was not tenable given the available data."

Tenable often appears in discussions about policies, positions, or plans. If a political position is described as "tenable," it means it can still be defended in a realistic way. Similarly, a business strategy might be considered tenable if it can still be supported and carried out under the real conditions facing it.

However, "tenable" does not necessarily mean correct or desirable. It simply means something is capable of being held or defended, even if you disagree with it. A desperate commander defending a hopeless position might describe their defense as "tenable for another few hours," acknowledging the inevitable but asserting that they can hold out for a time.

Historically, "tenable" was often used in military contexts to describe a fortress or position that could be defended. While still applicable there, its use has broadened to encompass any situation where something needs to be maintained against resistance.

So, if you're evaluating an idea, plan, or argument, ask yourself: is it tenable? Can it realistically be held and defended in the face of challenges? If so, then it's a strong foundation for moving forward.