What does tentative mean?

Definitions for tentative
ˈtɛn tə tɪvten·ta·tive

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word tentative.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. probationary, provisional, provisionary, tentativeadjective

    under terms not final or fully worked out or agreed upon

    "probationary employees"; "a provisional government"; "just a tentative schedule"

  2. doubtful, tentativeadjective

    unsettled in mind or opinion

    "drew a few tentative conclusions"

Wiktionary

  1. tentativenoun

    A trial; an experiment.

  2. tentativeadjective

    Of or pertaining to a trial or trials; essaying; experimental.

  3. tentativeadjective

    Uncertain; subject to future change.

  4. Etymology: From tentatif, from tentativus, from tento, past participle tentatus; see tent, tempt.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Tentativeadjective

    Trying; essaying.

    Etymology: tentative, effort, Fr. tento, Latin.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Tentativeadjective

    of or pertaining to a trial or trials; essaying; experimental

  2. Tentativenoun

    an essay; a trial; an experiment

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Tentative

    ten′ta-tiv, adj. trying: experimental.—n. any attempt, conjecture.—adv. Ten′tatively. [Fr.,—Late L.,—L. tentāre, to try—tendĕre, to stretch.]

How to pronounce tentative?

How to say tentative in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of tentative in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of tentative in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Examples of tentative in a Sentence

  1. Consultancy Capital Economics:

    For now, the latest figures don't appear to undermine the recent tentative signs that the spread of the virus may be slowing.

  2. Canadian Labor Minister Kellie Leitch:

    I'm delighted to say that Unifor and Canadian National Railway have been able to come to a tentative agreement, cN will be running at full capacity tonight and tomorrow.

  3. Ray Curry:

    Our UAW John Deere national bargaining team went back to our local members after the previous tentative agreement and canvassed the concerns and priorities of membership.

  4. Jerome Seymour Bruner:

    The shrewd guess, the fertile hypothesis, the courageous leap to a tentative conclusion-these are the most valuable coins of the thinker at work. But in most schools guessing is heavily penalized and is associated somehow with laziness.

  5. Doug Parker:

    The tentative agreements deliver on all of these — and more.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

tentative#10000#15140#100000

Translations for tentative

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • مؤقتArabic
  • provizorní, nejistý, zkušební, pokusný, předběžnýCzech
  • experimentell, provisorisch, vorläufig, VersuchGerman
  • tentativo, provisorio, experimental, preliminar, provisional, indeciso, tanteoSpanish
  • kõhklev, ebalev, katseline, esialgneEstonian
  • kokeellinen, epäröivä, alustava, epävarmaFinnish
  • tentatif, provisoireFrench
  • जांच काHindi
  • tentativ, forsøksvis, foreløpigNorwegian
  • niepewnyPolish
  • опытный, предварительный, предположительный, экспериментальный, временный, ориентировочный, предполагаемый, пробныйRussian
  • försöks-, preliminärSwedish
  • தற்காலிகTamil
  • అస్థిరమైనదనేTelugu

Get even more translations for tentative »

Translation

Find a translation for the tentative definition in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:


Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"tentative." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2023. Web. 7 Jun 2023. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/tentative>.

Discuss these tentative definitions with the community:

0 Comments

    Are we missing a good definition for tentative? Don't keep it to yourself...

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Browse Definitions.net

    Quiz

    Are you a words master?

    »
    an embarrassing mistake
    • A. monish
    • B. flub
    • C. excogitate
    • D. lucubrate

    Nearby & related entries:

    Alternative searches for tentative: