as in prone
having a tendency to be or act in a certain way
people tending toward daily exercise will significantly reduce their risk of cardiac arrest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in leaning
to show a liking or proneness (for something)
her wardrobe tends toward dark colors and heavy fabrics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in supervising
to take charge of especially on behalf of another
tend the store while I run an errand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in growing
to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care
lately I haven't been doing a good job of tending my garden
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cultivating
to work by plowing, sowing, and raising crops on
plots that during the war were tended by city dwellers as vegetable gardens
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in managing
to look after and make decisions about
the dying patriarch wondered who would tend the family business after he was gone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tending
Aj Willingham,
AJC.com,
25 June 2026
She is seen bathing and tending to her daughter, Nala, similar to the way Cancer protects and cares for the people closest to them.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
With Chahin tending to his family, Zein could travel through France.
—
Ethan Hanson,
Daily News,
23 June 2026
Not infrequently, a female jacana will kill another bird’s chicks, mate with the male who was tending them, and leave him to raise a new clutch.
—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
In the Cold War, the idea of the flinty citizen soldier, peacefully tending his field but ready to pick up a weapon at a moment’s notice, was invoked in the struggle against the Soviet Union.
—
Vivian Yee,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Once feared, Cyrus now spends more time tending his herb garden than terrorizing the local village.
—
Angelina Mazza,
Vulture,
19 June 2026
There’s nothing pleasant about spending hours tending to your yard, only to find that a pesky bug or wild animal has burrowed into it.
—
Abby Monteil,
The Spruce,
19 June 2026
Not feeding the hungry, not tending to the sick, not clothing the naked, not welcoming the refugee.
—
Alexandra Petri,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
Verb
Farmers are tending healthy crops, and water managers are beginning to breathe a sigh of relief after the critical drought earlier this year.
—
Aj Willingham,
AJC.com,
25 June 2026
She is seen bathing and tending to her daughter, Nala, similar to the way Cancer protects and cares for the people closest to them.
—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
With Chahin tending to his family, Zein could travel through France.
—
Ethan Hanson,
Daily News,
23 June 2026
Not infrequently, a female jacana will kill another bird’s chicks, mate with the male who was tending them, and leave him to raise a new clutch.
—
Elizabeth Kolbert,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
In the Cold War, the idea of the flinty citizen soldier, peacefully tending his field but ready to pick up a weapon at a moment’s notice, was invoked in the struggle against the Soviet Union.
—
Vivian Yee,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Once feared, Cyrus now spends more time tending his herb garden than terrorizing the local village.
—
Angelina Mazza,
Vulture,
19 June 2026
There’s nothing pleasant about spending hours tending to your yard, only to find that a pesky bug or wild animal has burrowed into it.
—
Abby Monteil,
The Spruce,
19 June 2026
Not feeding the hungry, not tending to the sick, not clothing the naked, not welcoming the refugee.
—
Alexandra Petri,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tending
Adjective
-
For instance, people prone to acid reflux or migraines sometimes find that chocolate can trigger symptoms.
-
Eucerin’s Clear Skin Sunscreen is formulated with oily, acne-prone skin in mind.
Verb
-
The decision to use collars comes from the federations, Nike said, with France leaning into its history as a fashion capital and Uruguay looking to evoke a more classic football look.
-
And the organization’s internal splinter groups, the Soviet-leaning Weatherman Underground and the Maoist-leaning Progressive Labor faction fought each other bitterly.
Verb
-
Army investigations have repeatedly pointed to the same factors contributing to fatal training incidents including sleep deprivation, inadequate training and inexperienced leaders supervising high-risk exercises.
-
The family's complaint accuses the church of negligence in operating the event and in supervising the volunteer who allegedly placed the recording device.
Verb
-
Yet robust economic growth has proved elusive, even as government debt has climbed, leaving successive administrations with little firepower to fix a growing list of related challenges, from crumbling infrastructure to a chronic housing shortage.
-
With stages stretching from Freedom Corner to the Point and crowds growing every year, Pittsburgh’s Juneteenth celebration has evolved into a centerpiece of the city’s summer calendar and a living testament to Black culture, commerce and community pride downtown.
Verb
-
Burnham has spent years positioning himself as a viable alternative to Starmer, criticizing Labour's leadership at moments of weakness while carefully cultivating his own national profile.
-
In his regular visits to Nuuk, Horn has spent much of his time cultivating relationships with business leaders and politicians like Pele Broberg, leader of the pro-independence Naleraq party, who has made no secret of their meetings.
Verb
-
Nowadays, Monson de Kansky still keeps busy, whether by managing the Sierra Madre property; spending time with her four children, six grandchildren and cat, Lizzie; keeping up with current affairs and old friends; or, naturally, teaching dance.
-
With the Heat needing to make some important decisions in the coming days to round out its new-look roster around two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, that process even includes managing its three two-way contract slots.
Adjective
-
Americans are not inclined to think that UFOs and ETs are hostile, either.
-
The Cavs don't appear inclined to flip Mobley for Antetokounmpo, either.
Verb
-
Political analysts will also be closely watching the dynamic between Colombia and Venezuela.
-
There are various theories, but there's a certain amount of this kind of behavior that definitely bears watching.
Cite this Entry
“Tending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tending. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
