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.

Recent Examples on the Web

The concept was an instant hit, turning a show cloistered for a half century in hotels and theaters in Manhattan into a free, three-day football festival that drew hundreds of thousands of fans, many driving long distances to attend. —Ken Belson, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2024

The judge overseeing that trial denied a request for Trump to be excused to attend arguments at the Supreme Court. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2024

Where to Buy Stagecoach 2024 Tickets Online Want to attend the country music festival in person? —Rudie Obias, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Apr. 2024

Protesters arrested at Princeton sit-in Nearly 100 undergraduate and graduate students at Princeton attended a sit-in in a campus courtyard on Thursday morning, with some setting up tents despite the university's warnings. —Ayana Archie, NPR, 25 Apr. 2024

The two families whose sons attended in 2021 said all of their phone calls with their children were monitored by school employees, who held the phone during the call. —Tyler Kingkade, NBC News, 25 Apr. 2024

Depp attended the film’s U.K. premiere earlier this month and expressed gratitude for being given the chance to play the French king. —Zack Sharf, Variety, 25 Apr. 2024

Student protesters said about 200 people attended events at the site on Monday, including a rally, teach-in and a Passover seder hosted by Jewish students. —Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024

Webber will also attend Sunday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers. —Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 13 Apr. 2024

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

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