Meaning & use
tent poles
Last updated
“tent poles” is a form of “tent pole”.
Meaning
nounplural
The long, thin sticks or rods that hold up a tent and give it its shape.
Grammar: Plural of 'tent pole'; use it with plural verbs: the tent poles are in the bag.
Patterns
- set up the tent poles
- tent poles for a tent
- carbon-fiber tent poles
We forgot the tent poles, so the tent collapsed in the wind.
These tent poles fold into short sections that fit in a small bag.
One of the tent poles was bent, and we had to straighten it.
Word forms
| singular | tent pole |
|---|
Common combinations
- set up the tent poles
- It took us ten minutes to set up the tent poles.
- a set of tent poles
- The box contains a set of tent poles and a repair kit.
- aluminum tent poles
- Aluminum tent poles are light but strong.
- replace a broken tent pole
- You can buy a single replacement tent pole online.
Synonyms and how they differ
- tent frame
- Refers to the whole supporting structure, not just the individual poles.
Word family
Commonly confused: tent poles or tent pegs?
tent poles vs tent pegs
Pegs are short pins pushed into the ground to hold the ropes; poles are the long rods that hold the tent up.
Practice
Before you put up the tent, lay all the ______ on the ground.
Choose one answer.
The long rods that support the tent are 'tent poles'. 'Tent pegs' hold ropes in the ground, 'tent ropes' are cords, and 'tent floors' are the groundsheets.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tent poles”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.