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
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 May 2026
In a 350° F oven, bake for 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 May 2026
Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
For her part Zoe, mature well beyond her tender age, dismisses the hype with a shrug.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026
While passengers through the spring will continue to enjoy the pier access to the island, NCL will have to return to tendering for part of the summer to complete the work.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tender
Adjective
Slugs also munch on cabbage, lettuce, beans, strawberries, many tender herbs, and all kinds of ornamental flowers.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 May 2026
In a 350° F oven, bake for 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
—Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 May 2026
Noun
The $6 value box includes a choice of either two pieces of signature chicken or three tenders, along with two sides and a buttermilk biscuit.
—Chiara Kim, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
For her part Zoe, mature well beyond her tender age, dismisses the hype with a shrug.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Verb
Suya skewers arrive next, smoky, peanut-dusted, and impossibly tender.
—Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026
While passengers through the spring will continue to enjoy the pier access to the island, NCL will have to return to tendering for part of the summer to complete the work.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tender
Adjective
-
Exfoliating sensitive skin, like mine, is a delicate dance.—
Christina Oehler,
InStyle,
31 May 2026
-
With that in mind, the experts advise introducing the formula gradually, especially for those with sensitive skin.—
Rosa Jisoo Pyo,
Vogue,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Müller joins their ranks with these affectionate images.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
The actress and estranged wife of actor Jason Biggs is stirring controversy on social media after sharing a pair of affectionate photos with her eldest son, Sid.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
Back in 2014, the company secured FDA authorization for a compassionate-use protocol allowing the Hemopurifier to be used in up to 20 patients with Ebola across 10 clinical sites in the United States.—
Elie Dolgin,
IEEE Spectrum,
4 June 2026
-
Advice on relationships, family, work and everyday life with practical, compassionate guidance and a touch of humor.—
R Eric Thomas,
Baltimore Sun,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
As the story goes, attendance was weak, the weather was bad, and the tournament experience was just lacking.—
James Burky,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
As many as 40 states combine one-party control with institutional barriers weak enough to fall to political pressure.—
Bruce Sibley,
Time,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Chongqing-style chicken rustling with red chiles, mapo tofu and gentle Hainan chicken rice check boxes for mass appeal.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
Her mother had been a schoolteacher and Boston had a teacher’s gentle manner and studious tone.—
Thomas Lake,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
George Gascón, who eliminated cash bail for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies and championed rehabilitation over punitive sentencing.—
National Correspondent,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2026
-
Finally, if Anthropic is the third to go public, remember the market will be severely depleted of cash.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Breslow offered some insight into that deal and his process with trades more generally.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
The plethora of attacking talent PSG possesses far outweighs anything Arsenal has to offer, on paper at least.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Despite these measures, the rupee remains fragile.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
-
Glory to God, a facility that provides physical therapy, behavioral therapy, and schooling for medically fragile children, is among those affected.—
Morgan Rynor,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tender. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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