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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tending
Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025
Low-income people also struggle to afford the healthy foods doctors recommend such as fresh produce, tending toward cheaper, higher-calorie options.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025
In one slide of the carousel, Aniston is seen standing in front of a rack of clothing wearing black tutu as a top and no pants, her bare legs partially covered by an assistant tending to her ensemble.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Wiese says that often timing is determined by region, with events tending to start later up north and earlier in the South.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2025
Rather than mimicking the human form, the robot is engineered to perform efficiently on manufacturing floors, from machine tending to material transport, addressing real-world automation challenges.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
Stevens portrays temperamental Birham, who, much like his father Laban, prefers fun over tending the flock.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
There was too much that needed tending to back behind the monitors.
—Carrie Battan, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
Maybe that means redecorating your home, tending to an elder, or creating new rituals that ground you.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
Not on his wife’s behalf but, rather, for the fact that he’d been given this luxury, had spent his life tending to his mind in the space that his wife had cleared for him.
—Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2025
Low-income people also struggle to afford the healthy foods doctors recommend such as fresh produce, tending toward cheaper, higher-calorie options.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025
In one slide of the carousel, Aniston is seen standing in front of a rack of clothing wearing black tutu as a top and no pants, her bare legs partially covered by an assistant tending to her ensemble.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
Wiese says that often timing is determined by region, with events tending to start later up north and earlier in the South.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2025
Rather than mimicking the human form, the robot is engineered to perform efficiently on manufacturing floors, from machine tending to material transport, addressing real-world automation challenges.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
Stevens portrays temperamental Birham, who, much like his father Laban, prefers fun over tending the flock.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
There was too much that needed tending to back behind the monitors.
—Carrie Battan, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2025
Maybe that means redecorating your home, tending to an elder, or creating new rituals that ground you.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 30 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tending
Adjective
-
During periods of intense rainfall, the risk of flooding increases, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Oct. 2025
-
The Mariners are also one of the worst defensive teams in baseball and could be particularly prone to the Jays’ high-contact attack.—
The Athletic MLB Staff,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Marginson says that while many students and faculty have opposed the compact, university presidents and boards may be more inclined to accept.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
14 Oct. 2025
-
While Alex is still young at 24 and has room to develop, this move could make Giannis more comfortable and inclined to stay in Milwaukee, at least for the foreseeable future.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tending.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tending. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share