tended 1 of 2

past tense of tend
as in leaned
to show a liking or proneness (for something) her wardrobe tends toward dark colors and heavy fabrics

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tended

2 of 2

verb (2)

past tense of tend
1
2
3
as in cultivated
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

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 tended
Verb
Yachty was halfway into the ring before the referee tended to him. Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2026 Kids in this era also tended to move between sports with the seasons rather than specializing year-round from an early age. Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026 The drama has come as a surprise to some who know Walter, who has earned respect for his financial acumen and, despite his purchases of high-profile sports teams, has tended to dodge publicity. Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026 The first of two important points is many of those are backs who arguably would’ve tended to be drafted later in a bygone era. Ben Gretch, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 What annoyed me the most, though, was the way the meditation teachers talked, which tended toward New Age–isms in passive voice. Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 4 Sep. 2026 Helen Keller—or her manufactured image, at least—tended to be shining and sweet and noncontroversial. Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026 This research said that the doctors’ patients tended to die, but the midwives’ and witches’ patients tended to live. Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 2 Sep. 2026 Private insurers have tended to follow that lead, and many cover only a handful of visits, often after a person has developed a chronic condition. Lauren Chan, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tended
Verb
  • The fall 2026 collections leaned into this expression of individuality, showcasing an array of accents that encourage thoughtful experimentation.
    Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Shortly after the trade deadline, Tigers closer Kenley Jansen leaned back in his chair and talked about reasons for hope.
    Zack Meisel, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Vita Vea is paid, A’Shawn Robinson is in town and the tandem of YaYa Diaby and Rueben Bain is enough to put any Bengals fan who has watched their team’s recent pass protection in a state of consternation.
    J.J. Bailey, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Residents have watched property values and the profile of El Segundo rise.
    Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • These grew louder each time a Ferrari left its garage and entered the pit lane before softening again, a call and response that echoed around the circuit.
    Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Fielder said the relationship grew strained as Evans tried to exert greater control over the project.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemums are carefully cultivated and tended through summer to produce the tight, abundant domes of little flowers gardeners prize in autumn.
    Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Meaning that the blue weber agave used in its production was cultivated from farms that actively restore soil health and improve local ecosystems rather than just sustaining them.
    Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Of that group, just one — last year’s Chicago Bears — managed to put behind the miserable start against its biggest rivals and reach the playoffs.
    Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The binding agreement with Alpha Wave Global, Premji Invest, Temasek and BlackRock managed funds values Adani Airport Holdings at about $18 billion on a pre-money basis, according to the company statement.
    Jenny Lee, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • That’s the sort of prospect a front office might be inclined to buy low on, and that’s just what Cincinnati did, acquiring Brito and a 19-year-old pitching lotto ticket for Nathaniel Lowe at the deadline.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Nor is Gadot a performer inclined to lend much more than athleticism to a role that could use some warmth and idiosyncrasy to color its rather generic action-hero gist.
    Dennis Harvey, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The following year, he was sentenced to 188 months, nearly 16 years, in prison, with five years supervised release.
    Emily Trainham, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Just north of Hartley Road in Eagle, there are 440 acres of public land currently supervised by the Bureau of Land Management.
    Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • In standard Series 62 form, the engine produced around 210 hp, giving the big Cadillac plenty of muscle for its era.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Fresh water can therefore be produced for drinking and other onboard needs, rather than carrying every drop required for a months-long patrol.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Tended.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tended. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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