tent

noun

\ ˈtent

Definition of tent

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a collapsible shelter of fabric (such as nylon or canvas) stretched and sustained by poles and used for camping outdoors or as a temporary building

2 : dwelling

3a : something that resembles a tent or that serves as a shelter especially : a canopy or enclosure placed over the head and shoulders to retain vapors or oxygen being medically administered

b : the web of a tent caterpillar

tent

verb (1)

tented; tenting; tents

Definition of tent (Entry 2 of 3)

intransitive verb

1 : to reside for the time being : lodge

2 : to live in a tent

transitive verb

1 : to cover with or as if with a tent

2 : to lodge in tents

tent

verb (2)

tented; tenting; tents

Definition of tent (Entry 3 of 3)

transitive verb

chiefly Scotland

: to attend to

Other Words from tent Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about tent

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Synonyms for tent

Synonyms: Noun

Examples of tent in a Sentence

Noun a huge tent was erected for the outdoor wedding reception

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Pitch a tent in the living room, grab pillows and blankets, and enjoy the extra warmth created by containing everyone's body heat. — Taysha Murtaugh, Country Living, "11 Brilliant Power Outage Hacks That Will Help You Brave the Next Winter Storm," 26 Apr. 2021 The festival includes food vendors, a beer tent, entertainment on Breidert Green, carnival and arts and crafts vendors. — Mike Nolan, chicagotribune.com, "Plans for Frankfort Fall Festival move ahead after 2020 cancellation," 22 Apr. 2021 Medics are often practicing life-saving medicine inside a tent, a hotel room, a garage or other impromptu places not designed for medical procedures. — Laura Garcia, San Antonio Express-News, "San Antonio's Texas Biomed, U.S. military seeking ways to disinfect surfaces and indoor air to prevent COVID-19," 20 Apr. 2021 Additional programming is coming to an adjacent outdoor tent (located right next to the milk bottle) with details to be announced soon. — BostonGlobe.com, "Boston Children’s Museum brings back play with reopening in May," 16 Apr. 2021 To play up the theme, there were large firepit caldrons surrounding the event tent, a topiary in the shape of a stag, and decor that incorporated wildflowers, shed antlers, birchwood, pheasant feathers, and plaid textiles. — Carrie Goldberg, Harper's BAZAAR, "This Couple Went All Out for Their “ Montana-Meets-Gatsby-Meets-Versailles ” Wedding at Home," 13 Apr. 2021 Other photographs offer glimpses of a society overwhelmed by the pandemic—doctors tending to patients in an emergency field tent, a coffin-maker and a gravedigger at work. — Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, "Brazil’s COVID-19 Crisis and Jair Bolsonaro’s Presidential Chaos," 13 Apr. 2021 There will be a waterfront lobby tent and an expansive communal dining area, gathering space and a waterfront yoga and events space. — Everett Potter, Forbes, "Under Canvas Lake Powell And Acadia National Park Open," 11 Apr. 2021 Or splurge on a spacious tent at Under Canvas in Valle, 29 miles south of the park. — Shanti Lerner, The Arizona Republic, "Camping in Arizona this summer? Reserve your campsite as soon as possible. Here's why," 9 Apr. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Leave a Note Shinde is one of Botswana’s iconic luxury tented camps, refurbished in 2015 and located on the edge of the permanent waters of the Okavango Delta. — Condé Nast Traveler, "Shinde Enclave," 25 Aug. 2017 A rival group, the Worker’s Ex-Servicemen League, Communist vets at odds with Waters’s group, tented at 14th and D streets in Southwest Washington. — Terence Mcardle, Washington Post, "The veterans were desperate. Gen. MacArthur ordered U.S. troops to attack them.," 28 July 2017 Sherwood’s home has been tented so that sulfuryl fluoride, a poisonous, odorless gas, can be sprayed inside. — Bill Hanna, star-telegram, "Exterminating rare termites in Fort Worth home takes extreme measures," 27 June 2017 Outside, two tented stages will provide three days of musical performances. — Melinda Morris, NOLA.com, "Satchmo SummerFest announces lineup and a dance room with A/C," 27 June 2017 The design is suspended 30 feet above ground and features tented structures atop a mesh platform. — Elizabeth Stamp, CNN, "The architects throwing out the rulebook on hotel design," 15 June 2017 One morning this week, Markowski watched workers hoeing the rich soil between rows of tobacco beneath acres of tenting on his family's West Suffield farm. — Gregory B. Hladky, courant.com, "Foreign Competition, Labor Costs Push Connecticut Shade Tobacco Farmers To The Edge," 15 June 2017 Like Top Gear, the car segments are filmed around the world, along with the addition of audience segments, thanks to the show's mobile tented studio. — Jayme Deerwester, USA TODAY, "'Grand Tour' host Richard Hammond escapes fiery crash in Switzerland," 10 June 2017 The 37,000-acre spread will open its sixth tented camp, North Bank Camp, on the Blackfoot River this month. — Compiled By Elaine Glusac, star-telegram.com, "Where to travel now if you’re yearning to explore the great outdoors," 7 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for tent

Noun

Middle English tent, tente "collapsible shelter of animal skins or fabric used by nomads, shelter, dwelling," borrowed from Anglo-French tente, going back to Vulgar Latin *tenta, noun derivative from feminine of Latin tentus, tensus, past participle of tendere "to extend outward, stretch" (or from Vulgar Latin *tendita, re-formation of the participle) — more at tender entry 3

Verb (1)

derivative of tent entry 1

Verb (2)

Middle English tenten "to look after, see to, watch over," noun derivative of tent, tente "intention, purpose, heed," short for entente, intente intent entry 1

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