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

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

Born in 1930 in Chicago, Weiner was the first in his family to attend college. —Carly Thomas, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Apr. 2024

Scroll on for which Coachella set to attend based on your zodiac sign, according to celebrity astrologer Kyle Thomas! —Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 12 Apr. 2024

Next up, Rather is set to attend a screening in his hometown of Austin, Texas, on April 22 at the Alamo Drafthouse. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024

Annie McGinnis, another co-owner of Vine Street Brewing Co., was the one who attended last year’s screening and set the groundwork for this weekend’s event. —J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 12 Apr. 2024

Correspondent Lilia Luciano visits a family farm high atop the mountains outside of Medellin, where four generations have been working the fields; and attends the annual Festival of the Flowers (Feria de las Flores) to celebrate the beauty and bounty of their blooms. —David Morgan, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2024

But the implications will likely depend on how publishers react, the types of colleges students attend and their own individual financial situations. —Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 12 Apr. 2024

Banijay, the world’s largest independent production and sales group, hasn’t attended since 2019. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 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