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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tender
But the rustic goat fry, its flavors concentrated, its meat ridiculously tender but with a skosh of crispy, is just as wondrous.
—
Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2026
Freeman’s fortes are thin-crust pizzas made with whole wheat and vibrant veggie plates with coarse elements such as crunchy French radishes and tender Mokum carrots.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 4 June 2026
Raising boys comes with lots of energy, laughter, and unexpected noise, but also deep, tender affection.
—Bonnie Gibbs Vengrow, Parents, 3 June 2026
O’Farrell renders each member of this family and their respective responses to their new home with the precise and tender intuition that distinguishes her as a storyteller.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tender
Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2026
Freeman’s fortes are thin-crust pizzas made with whole wheat and vibrant veggie plates with coarse elements such as crunchy French radishes and tender Mokum carrots.
—Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 4 June 2026
Raising boys comes with lots of energy, laughter, and unexpected noise, but also deep, tender affection.
—Bonnie Gibbs Vengrow, Parents, 3 June 2026
O’Farrell renders each member of this family and their respective responses to their new home with the precise and tender intuition that distinguishes her as a storyteller.
—Rachel Vorona Cote, Vulture, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for tender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tender
Adjective
-
In a chat with Mica, George apologized for not being sensitive to her feelings following the recoupling.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
7 June 2026
-
These burn areas create barriers around villages, headwaters and sensitive sites, protecting them from wildfires during peak drought.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 June 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
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
Adjective
-
Russell, who has been in a relationship with Hawn since 1983, has long been a loving stepdad to her two kids.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
7 June 2026
-
Well, those folks might have a much more loving relationship with the Aether valve stem, which does away with a traditional Presta valve's problematic core.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
She was known for kind words and good advice.—
Thomas Lake,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
-
Focus on business and personal relationships, and choose to be with people who are kind, helpful and have your back.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tender. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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