tentative

tentative — adjective

1. describing plans, decisions, or actions that are not yet fixed or definite, and

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing plans, decisions, or actions that are not yet fixed or definite, and may be changed if new information comes to light or if the person involved feels unsure about what to do.

Example

Karim and Naoko signed a tentative agreement to share office space starting next month.

tentative agreement (plan/deal not yet final)

EVA Air flight BR-858 to Singapore is still tentative, so please check the airline app before you leave.

be + tentative (predicative use)

Common collocations
  • tentative agreement
  • tentative plan
  • tentative date
  • tentative step
  • tentative smile
  • tentative nod
  • tentative approval
  • tentative schedule
Synonyms
  • provisional

    more specific to arrangements that are officially in place until a final version is confirmed; 'tentative' implies more uncertainty about whether a final version will ever be settled

  • hesitant

    describes a person's inner doubt or reluctance rather than the status of a plan; 'tentative' can describe either the person's manner or the plan itself

  • preliminary

    focuses on being early or first in a sequence, not on uncertainty; a preliminary report may be quite firm as a starting point

Antonyms
  • final

    a final agreement cannot be changed; a tentative one can still be adjusted

  • certain

    a certain decision leaves no room for doubt or alteration

Grammar Patterns

tentative + noun

be + tentative

remain + tentative

Usage Note

This sense covers two related but distinguishable uses: (1) describing plans, agreements, or arrangements that are not yet final (e.g. a tentative booking), and (2) describing actions or behaviour done in a hesitant, cautious way (e.g. a tentative smile). The first use is more common in formal or business contexts; the second appears in descriptions of personal interaction.

Common Mistakes

The contract is tentative signed.
The contract is tentatively signed.
'tentative' is an adjective; the adverb 'tentatively' is needed to modify a verb.
This is a temporary agreement, so we can change it.
This is a tentative agreement, so we can change it.
'temporary' refers to duration (not permanent); 'tentative' refers to uncertainty (not yet final). They are not interchangeable.

tentative — noun

Word family

  • tentatively
    adverbB2
  • tentativeness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words share the idea of something not being fixed or permanent, but they differ in emphasis. 'Provisional' is the closest synonym: both describe arrangements that are not yet final. However, 'provisional' often implies that a final version is expected (e.g. a provisional driving licence), while 'tentative' leaves more room for doubt about whether a final decision will be reached at all. 'Hesitant' focuses on a person's inner uncertainty or reluctance, not on the status of an external plan — you can be hesitant to speak, but a schedule cannot be hesitant. 'Temporary' refers to duration (short-term vs. permanent) and does not imply uncertainty; a temporary solution can be perfectly definite. 'Experimental' is about testing or trying something new to gather information, so the uncertainty is about the outcome rather than about the plan itself. A tentative booking may never be confirmed; an experimental treatment may produce unknown results.

hesitantprovisional ↗temporary ↗experimental ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • tentatively agreed
  • tentatively scheduled
  • tentatively approved

Phrases

  • remain tentative
  • still tentative
  • purely tentative

Prepositions

  • tentative about

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word comes from the Latin verb 'temptare' (or 'tentare'), meaning 'to try, test, or feel one's way'. From this root, Late Latin formed 'tentativus' ('trying, testing'), which passed into French and then into English in the 16th century as 'tentative'. The original sense of 'testing or trying out' gradually shifted to 'not yet final' — something that is being tested or tried before a firm decision is made.