tentativeness

noun

ten·​ta·​tive·​ness ˈten-tə-tiv-nəs How to pronounce tentativeness (audio)
: the quality or state of being tentative or hesitant : hesitancy, uncertainty
heard a tentativeness in her voice
… we also have trouble comprehending the meaning of "hope" as that word is used in the New Testament; for us the term always seems to include an element of uncertainty and tentativeness.Herbert W. Chilstrom

Examples of tentativeness in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But there’s a tentativeness to the portrayal, a watering down of the fraternal volatility that ultimately makes Booth so dangerous. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2025 That's all good, but there's a sense of tentativeness in this announcement. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 7 Feb. 2025 There’s a tentativeness to Bohmer’s comic outlandishness. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024 His performance that night was hardly a home run, but Biden’s tentativeness was understandable. Philip Elliott, TIME, 24 June 2024 See All Example Sentences for tentativeness

Word History

Etymology

tentative entry 1 + -ness

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tentativeness was in 1870

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Cite this Entry

“Tentativeness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tentativeness. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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