1
as in sensitive
easily injured without careful handling
a tender wound tender plants that cannot take the cold tender pride that got bruised when his girlfriend dumped him
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Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in affectionate
feeling or showing love
a tender embrace between father and daughter
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3
as in compassionate
having or marked by sympathy and consideration for others
an especially tender teacher who loves having kids with special educational needs in her class
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4
as in weak
lacking bodily strength
a very tender child who always seems to be sick
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5
as in gentle
not harsh or stern especially in nature or effect
his tender comments on how to improve her writing style were gratefully received
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as in cash
something (as pieces of stamped metal or printed paper) customarily and legally used as a medium of exchange, a measure of value, or a means of payment
money from that board game is not legal tender and can't be exchanged for goods or services
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as in to offer
to put before another for acceptance or consideration
the coach tendered his resignation and started a new career as a physical therapist
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tender
Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 8 Mar. 2026
The Tamal Cubano Especial is homestyle cornmeal laced with seasoned pork, wrapped in a corn husk, topped with tender roast pork, sautéed onions, and Havana’s signature mojo sauce.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
In fact, his manuscript is also about his fantasies—in this case, fantasies about a young man who has a meaningful, intellectual, tender affair with his older mentor.
—Meg Walters, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
On Monday, the Seahawks tendered safety Ty Okada on a minimum salary for the 2026 season.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tender
Adjective
Spread the squash slices in a single layer over the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, until the slices are just tender but not falling apart and have some good caramelization on the edges.
—Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 8 Mar. 2026
The Tamal Cubano Especial is homestyle cornmeal laced with seasoned pork, wrapped in a corn husk, topped with tender roast pork, sautéed onions, and Havana’s signature mojo sauce.
—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
In doing so, the lines towing the tenders get crossed, which causes an issue for João and Mike.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
In fact, his manuscript is also about his fantasies—in this case, fantasies about a young man who has a meaningful, intellectual, tender affair with his older mentor.
—Meg Walters, Glamour, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
Trips include visits to NCL’s upgraded Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, which recently saw the completion of a new pier so ships no longer have to tender passengers to the island.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
On Monday, the Seahawks tendered safety Ty Okada on a minimum salary for the 2026 season.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tender
Adjective
-
Fears around migration in Turkey Migration is a sensitive topic in Turkey, which at one point was hosting nearly 4 million Syrian refugees.—
Serra Yedikardes,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Australia’s policy-sensitive three-year yield climbed to its highest level since 2011, while German bund futures slid to an almost 15-year low.—
Marcus Wong,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Early connections should feel easier as affectionate Venus forms a supportive sextile with intense Pluto, encouraging us to handle stubborn issues with honest talks and practical teamwork.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
10 Mar. 2026
-
The response from her fans was overwhelmingly affectionate.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Peter’s complicated, compassionate personality continues to drive the series.—
Oline H. Cogdill,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Mar. 2026
-
His sense of humor was unmatched, and his ability to connect with anyone was a testament to his compassionate soul.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But relying on the military to supplant the role traditionally performed by civilian law enforcement entails risks in a region where military institutions and oversight are weaker, armed forces have a legacy of human rights abuses and corruption is a perennial challenge.—
JOSHUA GOODMAN THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
-
January’s stronger-than-expected total was likely buoyed by some one-time factors (notably, weaker holiday hiring that meant fewer post-holiday layoffs, and unseasonably warm weather in the early part of the month that boosted industries like construction).—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The silence of the lake—save for the gentle peal of church bells on Sunday mornings and the plop of ducks plunging beneath the water surface—is a rare and unforgettable pleasure.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Mar. 2026
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Cleaning the bathroom with hydrogen peroxide is both gentle and effective, and there are plenty of ways to use it within the space.—
Nishaa Sharma,
The Spruce,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Futures on China’s 30-year and 10-year bonds dropped the most since late December on Monday, while corresponding cash yields climbed.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Impala Platinum has opened formal talks with Zimbabwe’s central bank and lined up meetings with both the South African and Zimbabwean governments to press for clarity on Harare’s export-earnings policy, its CEO told Semafor, escalating a commercial cash-flow dispute into bilateral negotiations.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But experts say previous federal document disclosures related to UAPs can offer clues to what’s in store for the next release.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Trump, meanwhile, has struck a decidedly defiant tone — offering few of the reassurances or rationalizations that past presidents have offered in the initial stages of war, and sounding more unbothered than embattled.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
By capturing organisms in extraordinary detail, resources like Antscan create a permanent, high-resolution record of life’s architecture—an anatomical time capsule that can be queried and revisited long after fragile specimens degrade or wild populations vanish.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Be careful though, as lampshades are fragile and can even become brittle.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tender. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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