attend

verb

at·​tend ə-ˈtend 

attended; attending; attends

transitive verb

1

: to be present at : to go to

attend a meeting

attend law school

2

: to pay attention to

attend the warning signs

3

: to look after : to take charge of

… campsites … attended by park rangers.

—Jackson Rivers

4

a

: to go or stay with as a companion, nurse, or servant

ministers who attend the king

b

: to visit professionally especially as a physician

a doctor attending his patients

5

: to be present with : accompany

6

archaic

a

: to wait for

b

: to be in store for

intransitive verb

1

: to direct one's attention : see

—used with to

I'll attend to [=deal with] that myself.

2

: to apply oneself

attend to your work

3

: to apply the mind or pay attention : heed

attend to his advice

4

a

: to be ready for service

ministers who attend upon the king

b

: to be present

How many people attended?

5

obsolete : wait, stay

attender noun

Synonyms

• accompany
• chaperone
• chaperon
• companion
• company
• convoy
• escort
• see
• squire

Examples of attend in a Sentence

My husband and I will both attend the banquet.

How many people attended the baseball game?

He won't be attending the conference.

How many people will be attending?

She attends a school in the city.

He'll be attending the university in the fall.

I am the first child in my family to attend college.

We attend the same church.

Each nurse attends 15 patients.

A midwife attended the birth.

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Recent Examples on the Web

The new parents attended the awards ceremony — where Peele's film Get Out was nominated for five awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor. —Emily St. Martin, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2023

Putin has not attended the conference since invading Ukraine in February of 2022. —USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2023

Read full article The former Yankees captain attended his first Old-Timers' Day on Saturday as New York celebrated the 25th anniversary of the 1998 team that won 125 games. —Larry Fleisher, BostonGlobe.com, 9 Sep. 2023

The day before his birthday, Nelson, as per usual, participated in meetings and attended to other duties in the Church Administration Building in downtown Salt Lake City, according to a Saturday news release. —David Noyce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 9 Sep. 2023

On top of all that, there is no shortage of Mississippi alumni living in and around New Orleans — Archie Manning and Deuce McAllister, who plan to attend, being but a couple examples. —Mark Heim | [e-mail], al, 9 Sep. 2023

The Prince and Princess of Wales, who have officially returned to work after taking a brief hiatus during their children’s summer vacation, attended an intimate private service at St. Davids Cathedral in Wales today. —Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 Sep. 2023

That still moved forward despite a SAG strike that kept all but one actor — Powers Boothe — from attending. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 8 Sep. 2023

In addition to his message, the King and Queen Camilla attended Crathie Kirk church in Aberdeenshire on Friday morning for private memorial prayers. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 8 Sep. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French atendre, from Latin attendere, literally, to stretch to, from ad- + tendere to stretch — more at thin

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Phrases Containing attend

• attend to

• attend to

Kids Definition

attend

verb

at·​tend ə-ˈtend 

1

a

: to pay attention to

attend my words

b

: to give one's attention

attend to business

2

: to go or stay with especially as a companion or servant

attend the sick

3

: to be present with

a cold attended by fever

4

: to go to or be present at especially to take part or observe

attend a party

attend school

5

: to take charge of : look after

a doorman attending the entrance

Medical Definition

attend

transitive verb

at·​tend ə-ˈtend 

: to visit with or care for in a professional capacity

attender noun