tend 1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈtend How to pronounce tend (audio)
Definition of tendnext
as in to lean
to show a liking or proneness (for something) her wardrobe tends toward dark colors and heavy fabrics

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tend

2 of 2

verb (2)

1
as in to watch
to take charge of especially on behalf of another tend the store while I run an errand

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2
as in to grow
to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care lately I haven't been doing a good job of tending my garden

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to cultivate
to work by plowing, sowing, and raising crops on plots that during the war were tended by city dwellers as vegetable gardens

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4
as in to manage
to look after and make decisions about the dying patriarch wondered who would tend the family business after he was gone

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of tend
Verb
Investors tend to be OK with only a percentage of investment returned in the form of a tax credit and deductions and losses claimed on tax returns. — Kim Jackson, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026 Humpback whales tend to keep to the open sea, but the massive marine mammals occasionally venture into the fresh waters of the Sacramento River. — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026 The Steelers put up 34 points on the Colts (then again, Colts tend to give up a lot of points) and could be in line for their first victory on the road. — Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 Early workouts line up with the body’s natural cortisol peak and tend to build consistency because the session is done before meetings and family demands pile up. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tend
  1. lean
  2. watch
  3. grow
  4. cultivate
  5. manage
  6. supervise
  7. produce
  8. operate
Verb
  • Tijerina is part of a coalition of Hispanic and Latino voters who have long leaned Democratic but have more recently shown a willingness to vote for both parties.
    — Justin Papp, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Some conservatives have argued that they've been unfairly targeted by financial institutions, although the OCC found that some banks had also refused to do business with Democratic-leaning organizations.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of lean
Verb
  • Halpin watched the ball clear the wall in right-center then launched his bat over his head and into the sky before rounding the bases.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Nevertheless, watching a sports car flip upside down and land on cold-gas jets was proof enough that flying cars are moving out of science fiction and onto the runway.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of watch
Verb
  • Its minimalist aesthetic and discreet approach to luxury perfectly capture the growing desire for versatile bags that transition effortlessly from day to evening.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • There’s the ever-growing collection of vinyl and books overflowing from the lobby lounge’s shelves.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of grow
Verb
  • Despite being a weird device with a black-and-white screen and a crank jutting out the side, the Playdate has managed to cultivate a strong and constantly growing library of games.
    — Andrew Webster, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The plant is also widely cultivated as a fodder crop for livestock.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of cultivate
Verb
  • The main idea of the company is to automate parts of these missions so personnel can concentrate on operational decisions rather than manually managing every aspect of a drone’s flight or sensor operation.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Graham’s poetry—as readers of The New York Review will know—somehow manages to reckon with the whole spectrum of human existence in the 2020s.
    — Matthew Aucoin, The New York Review of Books, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of manage
Verb
  • Fisker Automotive said that an internal investigation supervised by transportation regulators found salt corrosion had caused a short circuit in the battery, leading to the fire, rather than a preexisting defect.
    — Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Moton discussed it and his future with numerous people, including his family and Panthers team doctor Nancy Gritter, who supervised much of his care.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of supervise
Verb
  • The new film by the Golden Leopard-winning director will be produced under Brazil’s MyMama Entertainment banner in co-production with Switzerland’s Cinédokké Sagl and Brazil’s MMM Carioca.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
  • An enticing blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, the wine had fewer than 5,500 bottles produced of its inaugural 2022 vintage and only 300 are allocated to the United States.
    — Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of produce
Verb
  • The integration could help American troops operate uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) when adversaries attempt to disrupt battlefield communications.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The team’s last-second win over the Philadelphia Eagles last week in Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was organized and operated by the NFL, part of the league’s more standard rotation of all teams playing overseas.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of operate

Browse Nearby Words

tenants
tend
tended
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Cite this Entry

“Tend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tend. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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