tentpole

noun

tent·​pole ˈtent-ˌpōl How to pronounce tentpole (audio)
: a big-budget movie whose earnings are expected to compensate the studio for its less profitable movies

Examples of tentpole in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Known to many for his work on the tentpoles Black Adam and Jungle Cruise, Collet-Serra is back in theaters this spring with The Woman in the Yard, a horror thriller starring Danielle Deadwyler, which Universal releases on March 28. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Feb. 2025 The tentpole, which cost north of $180 million before marketing, is landing in roughly 4,100 North American theaters. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 11 Feb. 2025 That leadership mantle now falls to Sherry Phillips, who over the course of her three decades at Forbes has overseen the business side of most of our tentpole areas, from luxury and lifestyle to live events, before her appointment to chief revenue officer in 2022. Randall Lane, Forbes, 6 Feb. 2025 That and generous tax credits and a major pool of talent has helped make the UK a key production hub for Hollywood studios and streamers looking to make movie tentpoles and high-end TV. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for tentpole 

Word History

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tentpole was in 1987

Dictionary Entries Near tentpole

Cite this Entry

“Tentpole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tentpole. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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