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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tender
Cat Sposato, AFAR Media, 15 May 2025
Bake until salmon is cooked through and carrots are tender, 12 to 14 minutes.
—Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 14 May 2025
Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 May 2025
Jam-packed with his absurd self-aware humor, the finale deviates from the show’s usual slapstick raunch with a rare tender moment between Jesse and his equally crude siblings, Judy (Edi Patterson) and Kelvin (Adam DeVine).
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 May 2025
Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2025
Over the season’s travails, their chemistry deepens from easy and comfortable to fiercely devoted to movingly tender.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tender
Adjective
The meats become incredibly tender, the rice soft and creamy.
—Cat Sposato, AFAR Media, 15 May 2025
Bake until salmon is cooked through and carrots are tender, 12 to 14 minutes.
—Karla Walsh, CNN Money, 14 May 2025
Noun
Jesse and Shilpa talk about the key differences that make this shortbread extra-toasty and tender.
—Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 May 2025
Jam-packed with his absurd self-aware humor, the finale deviates from the show’s usual slapstick raunch with a rare tender moment between Jesse and his equally crude siblings, Judy (Edi Patterson) and Kelvin (Adam DeVine).
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 4 May 2025
Verb
Construction continues on the 1,500-foot-long dock that will allow ships to avoid the tedious process of having to tender passengers by smaller boats to get onshore.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2025
Over the season’s travails, their chemistry deepens from easy and comfortable to fiercely devoted to movingly tender.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tender
Adjective
-
Security clearance requirements limit the most sensitive jobs to U.S. citizens.—
Davis Winkie,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
-
This question asks for personal sensitive information that is protected by privacy laws.—
Ernesto Londoño,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
Adjective
-
He's become incredibly affectionate and loves receiving kisses.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
-
This dog, who would do best in an active home, loves games of fetch and is also super affectionate.—
Trish Stinger,
Kansas City Star,
14 May 2025
Adjective
-
For 55 years, the characters of Sesame Street have taught us how to count, how to read — and as importantly, how to be kind, empathic and compassionate.—
Afdhel Aziz,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
-
Here’s to more humane, efficient and compassionate processes in the future crafted by politicians on both sides of the aisle.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
12 May 2025
Adjective
-
The grand jury also criticizes city officials for weak oversight and enforcement of their contract with the Humane Society, which requires the nonprofit to enforce leash laws at 400 city parks and other venues.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 May 2025
-
Thanks to a weak front sliding across Central Florida, Thursday will be a bit cooler than prior days.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Including Marcelo and his kid, all three of the film’s rival factions are father-son teams, a choice that highlights Filho’s gentle emphasis on the relationship between lineage and identity — and the defiant notion that history is as hard to erase as DNA.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
18 May 2025
-
Après hike Just above the gentle, winding Fern Dell nature trail section of the park, with its cascading waterfalls, lies the outdoor coffee shop, The Trails.—
David Allan,
CNN Money,
17 May 2025
Noun
-
In the next few years, expect to see even more people quietly stacking cash from their living rooms, offering hyper-specific products and services and never worrying about beating the algorithm.—
King Holder,
Rolling Stone,
22 May 2025
-
The group was also reportedly involved in transporting and laundering cash made from the drug sales, officials said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
21 May 2025
Verb
-
The episode offered clarity on what happened between the two leads after Ellie (Bella Ramsey) learned what Joel did last season.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
25 May 2025
-
The moral dilemma faced by Osama, as Abou Sami offers him freedom in exchange for a cut, feels suddenly interrupted by each injection of the wider world, instead of the two being interwoven.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
In late 1973, Darin failed to take his antibiotics before a routine dental visit — a preventive measure intended to protect his fragile heart.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
22 May 2025
-
Although concepts for crewed missions to Mars have gained popularity, NASA’s actual plans for landing humans on Mars remain fragile.—
Ari Koeppel,
The Conversation,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tender. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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