tentative
Careful and unsure, as if not quite confident yet.
tentative in a sentence
- She took a tentative step onto the ice, ready to grab the rail.
- Milo gave a tentative answer, not at all sure that he had done the sum correctly.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to tentative?
- Aunsure
- Bcertain
- Cconfident
- Dbold
Show the answer
A: unsure. The other three mean the opposite of tentative.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to tentative?
- Acautious
- Bconfident
- Chesitant
- Dunsure
Show the answer
B: confident. The other three mean nearly the same as tentative.
Words that mean something similar
unsure, hesitant, cautious
Words that mean the opposite
confident, bold, certain
More words about character & personality
- testy: Quick to become cross and impatient, especially when bothered.
- thrifty: Careful with money and never wasteful.
- timid: Shy and easily frightened.
- typical: Happening or behaving in the way you would expect.
- tyrant: A ruler who uses power in a cruel and unfair way.
- undaunted: Not frightened or discouraged, even when things are difficult.
- unwavering: Staying steady and never doubting or giving up.
- vain: Too proud of how you look or what you can do.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test