Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Untenable
adjective
/ un-TEN-uh-bul /
Hard
Meaning
Not able to be defended, maintained, or justified against criticism or argument; an impossible position to hold
Origin / Etymology
Latin tenere (to hold) + un (not)
Synonyms
Indefensible
Unsustainable
Unjustifiable
Weak
Antonyms
Tenable
Defensible
Sound
Justifiable
Example Sentence
"The subsidy regime that provided diesel at below-market prices created an untenable fiscal burden exceeding Rs 80,000 crore annually before rationalization in 2014."
🎯 UPSC Usage
Strong academic word for Mains — use when describing policy positions that cannot be sustained: 'the untenable status quo on farm subsidies', 'an untenable fiscal position', 'an untenable security situation'. Particularly effective when building a Mains argument: first describe why the current situation is untenable, then propose alternatives.