1
as in to watch
to take charge of especially on behalf of another
tend the store while I run an errand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 June 2026
Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 June 2026
El Niño tends to significantly increase activity in the eastern North Pacific, especially in the central and western parts of the basin, Klotzbach said.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 15 June 2026
On Wall Street, as for an antiquarian bookseller, intermediaries tend to make the most money when the job is most difficult.
—Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tend
Verb
Horror still tends to need a stamp of prestige to be taken seriously.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 15 June 2026
Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges.
—Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 15 June 2026
El Niño tends to significantly increase activity in the eastern North Pacific, especially in the central and western parts of the basin, Klotzbach said.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 15 June 2026
On Wall Street, as for an antiquarian bookseller, intermediaries tend to make the most money when the job is most difficult.
—Gary Sernovitz, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tend
Verb
-
Teams across the league are leaning into two- and three-tight-end sets to force defenses to play with bigger bodies, which affects their speed in coverage.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
-
Beloved actor Ron Perlman fully leans into trying to make the contestants fail this task by forcing eye contact, asking them polite questions, rebuking their bad manners in ignoring him, and even doggedly getting into their personal space.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
On May 2, 2024, an undercover agent with the Illinois State Police (ISP) dropped the package off on Vishnevski's front porch and watched as Vishnevski retrieved the package and brought it inside, according to court filings.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
The Valkyries built a commanding lead behind 22 points from Janelle Salaün and 19 from Williams, then spent the fourth quarter watching Natisha Hiedeman – who finished with a game-high 26 – chip away at their advantage one bucket at a time.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
13 June 2026
Verb
-
The debate over recess has grown so confusing that recently the American Academy of Pediatrics stepped in and updated its policy statement.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
-
Khat, which is known as Abyssinian tea and African salad, is typically grown in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, customs officials said.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Business owners still need to make difficult decisions, cultivate relationships with employees and customers, and create accountability inside their organizations.—
Scott Byrne,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
In his regular visits to Nuuk, Horn has spent much of his time cultivating relationships with business leaders and politicians like Pele Broberg, leader of the pro-independence Naleraq party, who has made no secret of their meetings.—
Joshua Hunt,
Vanity Fair,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Interim manager Chad Tracy has now managed against every AL East team.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Hydrotherapy is the main draw and is especially helpful for active travelers or anyone managing chronic pain.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
While humans still planned and supervised the mission, the operation offered a glimpse into how future battles may unfold.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
16 June 2026
-
After the Los Angeles Film Critics Association anointed Brazil with a trio of awards, including Best Picture, Sheinberg relented and released a 132-minute cut supervised by Gilliam.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
In the 1970s, what was then West Germany co-produced the Tornado bomber with the UK and Italy; then in the 1990s Germany worked with the UK, Italy and Spain to produce the dog-fighting Eurofighter jet.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
Moss is also executive producing under her Love & Squalor Pictures banner in addition to starring.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Shards of shrapnel are still lodged in her chest – so close to her heart that doctors preferred not to operate to remove them.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
Then Artistic Milliners made a cut-and-sew move with the addition of a garment factory in Parras, Mexico, which now operates as Artistic Milliners Mexico.—
SJ Studio,
Footwear News,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tend. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
