as in prone
having a tendency to be or act in a certain way
people tending toward daily exercise will significantly reduce their risk of cardiac arrest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in leaning
to show a liking or proneness (for something)
her wardrobe tends toward dark colors and heavy fabrics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in supervising
to take charge of especially on behalf of another
tend the store while I run an errand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in growing
to look after or assist the growth of by labor and care
lately I haven't been doing a good job of tending my garden
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cultivating
to work by plowing, sowing, and raising crops on
plots that during the war were tended by city dwellers as vegetable gardens
Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in managing
to look after and make decisions about
the dying patriarch wondered who would tend the family business after he was gone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tending
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Sep. 2025
Never mind that being the youngest captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963 would require him to balance his playing career with the time demands of being a Ryder Cup captain while also tending to his young family.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Hair growth gummies are an effective way to support your hair health journey while also tending to the causes of hair loss in the first place.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 29 Sep. 2025
He’s lived in self-sufficient solitude in the woods of Northern England for decades, tending to his psychic wounds.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2025
Ultimately, with midterms tending to have lower turnout than presidential elections, Newsom and AOC may be able to bring out enough young progressives to pass partisan redistricting.
—Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
While there are a few male employees at Olta, most everything — from tending the crops to distilling the liquid to bottling it up — is done by women, a rarity in the machismo world of Mexican spirits.
—Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2025
In the meantime, the beavers on Rocky Branch are still there, tending to their pond.
—Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
The main attraction of the bobs trending for fall 2025 is that they’re aimed to be very relaxed, easy to style, and overall low-maintenance, which is why the length is tending to fall a bit lower than your classic chin-length bob.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
Maybe that means redecorating your home, tending to an elder, or creating new rituals that ground you.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Sep. 2025
Never mind that being the youngest captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963 would require him to balance his playing career with the time demands of being a Ryder Cup captain while also tending to his young family.
—Brendan Quinn, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Hair growth gummies are an effective way to support your hair health journey while also tending to the causes of hair loss in the first place.
—Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 29 Sep. 2025
He’s lived in self-sufficient solitude in the woods of Northern England for decades, tending to his psychic wounds.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2025
Ultimately, with midterms tending to have lower turnout than presidential elections, Newsom and AOC may be able to bring out enough young progressives to pass partisan redistricting.
—Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
While there are a few male employees at Olta, most everything — from tending the crops to distilling the liquid to bottling it up — is done by women, a rarity in the machismo world of Mexican spirits.
—Allyson Reedy, Denver Post, 24 Sep. 2025
In the meantime, the beavers on Rocky Branch are still there, tending to their pond.
—Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
The main attraction of the bobs trending for fall 2025 is that they’re aimed to be very relaxed, easy to style, and overall low-maintenance, which is why the length is tending to fall a bit lower than your classic chin-length bob.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tending
Adjective
-
Grealish, no longer prone, headed, just like Moyes, to the South Stand and appeared to blow a kiss to adoring fans.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
-
During heavy rainfall, there is a risk of flooding, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The coaches may be even less inclined to start Comrie more if the defense struggles without Samberg.—
The Athletic NHL,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
-
If the labor market shows signs of resiliency, the central bank may be less inclined to cut its benchmark rate.—
Sean Conlon,Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tending. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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