tenderness

noun

ten·​der·​ness ˈten-dər-nəs 

: a tender quality or condition: such as

a

: gentleness and affection

His voice quavered with tenderness.

—Joyce Carol Oates

b

: the quality of being succulent and easily chewed

How you carve the meat enhances the tenderness and juiciness of each portion.

—Kemp Minifie

c

: sensitivity to touch or palpation

They found a small increased risk of reactions such as redness, swelling, and/or tenderness at the injection site …

—The Journal of the American Medical Association

Synonyms of tenderness

• kindness

Examples of tenderness in a Sentence

volunteers at the shelter tended to all the animals in their care with great tenderness

Recent Examples on the Web

Above all, Chapa 100 is a tribute to those who continue moving forward with tenderness and grace despite hardship. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026

His tenderness and vulnerability sets the tone of the show, which takes men’s emotions seriouslywithout lapsing into either the preachy hugging and learning of Ted Lasso or the manipulative melodramatics of, say, A Million Little Pieces. — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

That punk instinct never crowded out Araki’s tenderness toward the material, and Corbet clearly shares the director’s view. — Joshua Encinias, IndieWire, 10 Aug. 2026

But there is a real tenderness that’s thrown into the mix with the lewd banter and glass-half-empty outlook. — Alison Herman, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tenderness

• slenderness