Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 15, 2026 is tenuous. This adjective describes something as flimsy, weak, or uncertain. For example, a theater might have had a tenuous existence, struggling financially for years. The word originates from the Latin adjective tenuis, meaning "fine-drawn, thin, narrow, or slight," making it related to the word "thin." Similar to "thin," tenuous can describe literal thinness, such as the threads of a silkworm. It can also refer to rarity, as in a tenuous fluid. Furthermore, tenuous applies to figurative thinness or flimsiness. In a game, a tenuous lead means the outcome is still uncertain for either team. If there is a tenuous connection between two events, they are likely not related.