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
The man could walk into any ballpark in the league and know the names of the clubhouse attendants, stadium workers and staff members who often go unnoticed. Levi Weaver, New York Times, 14 May 2026 While some rides have computer systems that can help alert attendants to potential problems, attendants are in charge of checking restraints, conducting daily maintenance and operation inspections, and dispatch rides. Sara Kiley Watson, Popular Science, 13 May 2026
Adjective
Yenor’s suggestion that feminism—with its attendant horrors of work outside the home, birth control, and financial independence—has made women neurotic and dependent on pharmaceuticals is now an article of faith on the right. Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026 At the risk of sounding wishy-washy like Thomas Mann at his worst moments, that understanding of the full spectrum of experience in both types of society and all the attendant nuances that made neither order much better or worse than the other comes across affectingly here. Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 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 19 May. 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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