… but there is also about it just the trace of the nettlesome righteousness that alienated much of Washington during his tenure there, the not-so-subtle suggestion that while he might be in politics, he is not of politics and certainly not, God forbid, a politician.—Jim Wooten, New York Times Magazine, 29 Jan. 1995Pittsburgh's offensive linemen, trap blockers during Noll's tenure, had to bulk up for the straight-ahead game.—Paul Zimmerman, Sports Illustrated, 9 Nov. 1992A mural on the upper half of a four-story guesthouse was painted in 1977 by twelve-year-old schoolchildren, whose tenure on the scaffold must have thrilled their parents.—John McPhee, New Yorker, 22 Feb. 1988
During his tenure as head coach, the team won the championship twice.
her 12-year tenure with the company
His tenure in office will end with the next election.
After seven years I was finally granted tenure.
He hopes to get tenure next year.
The defendant did not have tenure on the land.
land tenure in Anglo-Saxon Britain
Recent Examples on the WebMuch of Macron’s tenure overlapped with the presidency of Donald Trump, with whom the French leader sought to build a workable relationship, although Trump’s successor President Biden was more of a natural ally.—Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2024 In summary, my career trajectory underscores my multifaceted expertise, spanning from my tenure as an Assistant State Attorney to his current role as an Assistant City Attorney, all of which reflect my dedication to legal excellence and public service.—Woody Clermont, Sun Sentinel, 4 July 2024 No, this simply will not do — not if the Warriors want to make something of the final years of Steph Curry’s incredible tenure.—Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 3 July 2024 Mone will have served as chancellor for 11 years, the second longest in UWM history and twice as long as the average tenure of a college president.—Kelly Meyerhofer, Journal Sentinel, 3 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for tenure
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tenure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, "possession of land under obligation to a superior, the land so held," borrowed from Anglo-French tenure, teneure, going back to Gallo-Romance *tenitūra "act of possessing," from Latin ten-, base of tenēre "to hold, possess" + -it-, generalized from past participles ending in -itus + -ūra-ure — more at tenant entry 1
Note:
A number of renderings of the word in Medieval Latin from the 11th century on (as tenetura, tenatura, tentura, tenura, etc.) may reflect stages in the passage from Latin to French or attempts to Latinize a vernacular form.
: the act, right, manner, or term of holding something (as property, a position, or an office)
especially: a status granted after a trial period to a teacher that gives protection from dismissal except for serious cause determined by formal proceedings
: the act, manner, duration, or right of holding something
tenure of office
specifically: the manner of holding real property : the title and conditions by which property is held
freehold tenure
2
: a status granted to a teacher usually after a probationary period that protects him or her from dismissal except for reasons of incompetence, gross misconduct, or financial necessity
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