attendant

1 of 2

noun

at·​ten·​dant ə-ˈten-dənt How to pronounce attendant (audio)
Synonyms of attendantnext
1
: one who attends another to perform a service
the bride and her attendants
especially : an employee who waits on customers
a gas-station attendant
2
: something that accompanies : concomitant
the sword, ring, armor, and other attendants of knighthood
3
: attendee
attendants at the festival

attendant

2 of 2

adjective

1
: accompanying, waiting upon, or following in order to perform service
… Cherub and Seraph … attendant on their Lord …John Milton
2
: accompanying or following as a consequence or result
problems attendant on pollution
civilization and its attendant moralityRobert Stone

Examples of attendant in a Sentence

Noun She let the parking attendant park her car. let the hotel attendant help them with their bags Adjective The town is trying to deal with the population boom and the attendant increase in traffic. dreaded the coming flu season and the attendant flood of school absences
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
In 2025, New Jersey had more than 1,900 gas stations and roughly 10,000 workers in the Auto & Watercraft Service Attendant category, which includes gas station attendants. Laura Kiniry, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026 The book follows people with disabilities who attend an adult day care center in Southern California as well as some of the neurotypical attendants who care for them. Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Some of the best al pastor in Austin can be found at Paprika, but only on Saturdays, along with attendant lines that often start before the doors open. Matthew Odam, Austin American Statesman, 2 Apr. 2026 Beneath its genre surface, the film mounts a pointed examination of xenophobia and social exclusion, refracted through the lens of Korea’s breakneck modernization and its attendant ecological and geopolitical anxieties. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 30 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for attendant

Word History

Etymology

Noun

see attend

Adjective

see attend

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of attendant was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Attendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/attendant. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

attendant

1 of 2 adjective
at·​ten·​dant ə-ˈten-dənt How to pronounce attendant (audio)
: accompanying or following as a result

attendant

2 of 2 noun
1
: one who goes with or serves another
a bride and her attendants
2
: an employee who waits on customers
a gas station attendant

Medical Definition

attendant

noun
at·​ten·​dant ə-ˈten-dənt How to pronounce attendant (audio)
: a person who attends another to perform a service
ward attendants

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