Meaning & use
getting tenure
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Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
Being given a permanent teaching or research job at a university, usually after a trial period of several years.
Grammar: Used as a noun-like phrase; it can be the subject or object of a sentence: Getting tenure takes years.
Patterns
- getting tenure at a university
- be on the road to getting tenure
- after getting tenure
She spent six years on the road to getting tenure.
Getting tenure at a research university usually depends on published work and teaching reviews.
He moved to another state right after getting tenure.
phrasefixed phraseinformal
The process of trying to reach that permanent position, including the years of reviews and evaluation.
Grammar: Often used after verbs like 'worry about' or 'focus on' when the whole process is meant: worried about getting tenure.
Patterns
- worry about getting tenure
- focus on getting tenure
- the pressure of getting tenure
Junior staff often talk about the pressure of getting tenure.
For three years his main goal was simply getting tenure.
They hired more advisers to help young teachers with getting tenure.
Common combinations
- a tenure-track job
- He finally landed a tenure-track job in Ohio.
- be up for tenure
- She is up for tenure next fall.
- tenure review
- The tenure review takes several months.
- grant someone tenure
- The committee granted him tenure last spring.
- deny someone tenure
- The department denied her tenure after a close vote.
Synonyms and how they differ
- being made permanent
- A general phrase for any job; 'getting tenure' is used mainly for academic posts.
- promotion to a permanent post
- Focuses on the rank change rather than the job security that tenure gives.
Opposites
Word family
- tenure noun
- The permanent position itself, or the right to keep a job.
- tenured adjective
- Describes a teacher who already holds such a permanent post.
- tenure-track adjective
- Describes a job that can lead to permanent status if reviews go well.
- get tenure verb
- The base verb phrase; 'getting tenure' is its -ing form.
Commonly confused: getting tenure or tenor? getting tenure or tenable?
getting tenure vs tenor
'Tenor' means the general meaning or tone of something, or a high male singing voice; it sounds similar but has nothing to do with jobs.
getting tenure vs tenable
'Tenable' means able to be defended or held (a tenable argument); it is an adjective, not a job status.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Getting tenure' is a fixed phrase and takes no article, so option 0 is right. Option 1 wrongly makes it countable, option 2 adds an unnecessary article, and option 3 uses the wrong preposition — we say 'at a university', not 'to'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “getting tenure”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.