Synonyms of tenderness

tenderness

noun

ˈten-dər-nəs 

as in kindness

sympathetic concern for the well-being of others

volunteers at the shelter tended to all the animals in their care with great tenderness

Synonyms & Similar Words

• kindness
• warmth
• humaneness
• tenderheartedness
• kindliness
• benignity
• attentiveness
• generosity
• beneficence
• benevolence
• kindheartedness
• thoughtfulness
• warmheartedness
• good-heartedness
• benignancy
• patience
• considerateness
• friendliness
• mercifulness
• compassionateness
• softheartedness
• affability
• pleasantness
• understanding
• tolerance
• graciousness
• leniency
• niceness
• clemency
• charitableness
• magnanimity
• unselfishness
• altruism
• good-naturedness
• good-temperedness
• philanthropy
• charity
• greatheartedness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• cruelty
• brutality
• savagery
• inhumanity
• callousness
• barbarity
• heartlessness
• savageness
• brutishness
• unkindness
• ruthlessness
• bestiality
• mercilessness
• severity
• toughness
• insensitivity
• sternness
• hard-heartedness
• cold-bloodedness
• thoughtlessness
• inconsiderateness
• harshness
• barbarousness
• pitilessness
• grimness
• unkindliness
• unfeelingness
• meanness
• virulence
• malevolence
• spitefulness
• hatefulness
• maliciousness
• vitriol

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tenderness

Through digital archives, artistic reenactments, and deeply personal encounters, the film moves between tenderness and rage, transforming memory into an act of freedom. — Anna Marie De La Fuente, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026

Rage and tenderness are interwoven in pieces about mothers and daughters; the X’s with which Native leaders signed the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie; and the necessity and fragility of art. — Craig Morgan Teicher, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026

The result retains the flavor Henprasert remembers while giving the ribs the tenderness many American diners expect. — Patricia Kaowthumrong, Denver Post, 30 Sep. 2026

People can experience love and tenderness for younger generations without biological parenthood, as any devoted aunt or teacher can attest. — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026