Synonyms of tending

tending 1 of 3

adjective

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

• prone
• inclined
• willing
• apt
• choosing
• preferring
• liable
• given
• minded
• disposed
• likely
• predisposed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unwilling
• averse
• loath
• indisposed
• disinclined

tending

2 of 3

verb (1)

present participle of tend

as in leaning

to show a liking or proneness (for something)

her wardrobe tends toward dark colors and heavy fabrics

Synonyms & Similar Words

• leaning
• inclining
• going
• running
• trending
• pointing
• gravitating
• suggesting
• indicating

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoiding
• shunning
• shying (from or away from)

tending

3 of 3

verb (2)

present participle of tend

1

as in supervising

to take charge of especially on behalf of another

tend the store while I run an errand

Synonyms & Similar Words

• supervising
• watching
• overseeing
• managing
• attending
• guarding
• superintending
• protecting
• controlling
• operating
• minding
• running
• guiding
• looking after
• conducting
• governing
• regulating
• seeing to
• caring (for)
• taking care of
• directing
• patrolling
• seeing after
• safeguarding
• shielding
• administrating
• presiding (over)
• shepherding
• stewarding
• babying
• babysitting
• mothering
• chaperoning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignoring
• neglecting
• forgetting
• abandoning
• disregarding
• passing over

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

• growing
• cultivating
• producing
• planting
• promoting
• harvesting
• raising
• cropping
• rearing
• dressing
• breeding
• propagating
• culturing
• sowing
• sprouting
• gathering
• ripening
• rooting
• reaping
• quickening
• germinating
• gleaning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• killing
• picking
• digging
• plucking
• pulling (up)
• cutting
• uprooting
• mowing
• extirpating
• haying

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

• cultivating
• planting
• farming
• harvesting
• tilling
• cropping
• reaping
• hoeing
• harrowing
• sharecropping

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

• supervising
• managing
• overseeing
• operating
• controlling
• regulating
• handling
• conducting
• running
• governing
• keeping
• directing
• guiding
• administering
• superintending
• protecting
• administrating
• overlooking
• watching
• stewarding
• presiding (over)
• carrying on
• leading
• watching over
• guarding
• steering
• minding
• safeguarding
• piloting
• caring (for)
• micromanaging
• stage-managing
• codirecting
• comanaging

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tending

Verb

This group of Americans knows the tragedy through images in a history textbook or scenes in YouTube videos of the twin towers falling and first responders tending to victims. — Froylan Jimenez, Chicago Tribune, 11 Sep. 2026

Head gardener Gérard Germaine, who has been tending to the century-old trees and 250 varieties of roses here for 18 years, still leads tours of the grounds. — Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 10 Sep. 2026

Fixing things and writing songs, touring around on his ATV, tending to the horses. — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2026

At the moment, her partner is outside in the yard tending to their dog—named Billie Holiday—so Elizabeth feels free to fully speak her truth about everything from her upbringing to furniture. — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 7 Sep. 2026

At home, Saldaña could often be found tending to his lawn and plants — at least until a neighbor walked by and gave him an excuse to stop for a long conversation. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026

Best Amazon End-of-Season Gardening and Lawn Deals Your days tending to the garden may be coming to an end, but there’s no better time to re-up on green-thumb essentials than now. — Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026

By how his wife took charge of his care, while tending to their two small children, right to the end. — Michael Collins, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Her duties include reading slush-pile submissions, making coffee, and tending to the needs of high-profile guests during Platen’s many exclusive fêtes. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026