untenable proposal

[/ʌnˈtenəbəl prəˈpoʊzəl/]
noun phrasepl: untenable proposals / propostas insustentáveis
proposta insustentável
1. A proposal or suggestion that cannot be maintained, defended, or justified; one that lacks logical support or is indefensible
The company rejected the untenable proposal to reduce salaries by 50% without any justification.
A empresa rejeitou a proposta insustentável de reduzir os salários em 50% sem qualquer justificativa.
2. An offer or plan that is impractical, unreasonable, or impossible to implement
His untenable proposal to build a bridge across the Atlantic was dismissed by all engineers.
Sua proposta insustentável de construir uma ponte através do Atlântico foi descartada por todos os engenheiros.
In both Brazilian and American business contexts, describing a proposal as 'untenable' is a formal, professional way to reject it outright without detailed debate. In Brazil, this term is frequently used in corporate, political, and academic settings. The phrase is often preceded by 'completely' or 'entirely' for emphasis. In American English, it signals that serious discussion on the topic is unlikely.
NYC Slang
a non-starter; a hard pass
Synonyms / Sinônimos
indefensible proposalunreasonable proposalunsustainable proposalunacceptable proposalimpractical proposalflawed proposal
Antonyms / Antônimos
tenable proposaldefensible proposalreasonable proposalviable proposalsound proposal

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
proposta insustentável
Most common translation; widely used in formal and informal contexts
General Brazilian
proposta indefensável
Alternative translation emphasizing impossibility of defense
Rio de Janeiro
proposta insustentável
Standard usage; no regional variation
São Paulo
proposta insustentável
Standard usage; commonly used in business contexts
Portugal
proposta insustentável
Equivalent Portuguese translation; same meaning and usage

Related Words

untenable positionunsustainableindefensiblepropositionrefutereject

Related Idioms & Phrases

won't hold water
doesn't stand up to scrutiny
full of holes
can't defend it
doomed from the start
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