tentpole
noun
tent·pole
ˈtent-ˌpōl 
: 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
That was still a sharp commercial comedown for a tentpole that so recently seemed invincible.
—
Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 May 2026
The tentpole — which marks the first Star Wars film to play in theaters in seven years — continues the story of The Mandalorian, Jon Favreau’s series that helped launch Disney+ and introduced the world to Baby Yoda (Grogu) just as the pandemic struck.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has highlighted AI as the tentpole of the company’s future, projecting a multi-trillion-dollar market opportunity that rivals the total value of all US economic activity.
—Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 21 May 2026
Plenty of titles are hoping to serve as counterprogramming against all the tentpoles.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tentpole
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Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 May 2026
The tentpole — which marks the first Star Wars film to play in theaters in seven years — continues the story of The Mandalorian, Jon Favreau’s series that helped launch Disney+ and introduced the world to Baby Yoda (Grogu) just as the pandemic struck.
—Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has highlighted AI as the tentpole of the company’s future, projecting a multi-trillion-dollar market opportunity that rivals the total value of all US economic activity.
—Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 21 May 2026
Plenty of titles are hoping to serve as counterprogramming against all the tentpoles.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tentpole
Cite this Entry
“Tentpole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tentpole. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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