TENDS Synonyms: 101 Similar and Opposite Words

tends 1 of 2

verb (1)

present tense third-person singular of tend

as in leans

to show a liking or proneness (for something) her wardrobe tends toward dark colors and heavy fabrics

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tends

2 of 2

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of tend

as in supervises

to take charge of especially on behalf of another tend the store while I run an errand

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as in grows

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

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as in cultivates

to work by plowing, sowing, and raising crops on plots that during the war were tended by city dwellers as vegetable gardens

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as in manages

to look after and make decisions about the dying patriarch wondered who would tend the family business after he was gone

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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 tends

Verb

Dry or sensitive skin tends to do best with a washcloth and a mild chemical exfoliant. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Nov. 2026 The warmest month is February, with highs around 80 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest tends to be August, with lows around 59 to 63. — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2026 Scheduling tends to be faster than at one-patient-a-day boutiques, pricing tiers are broader, and the logistics chain — airport transfer, hotel, translator, follow-up — is a standardized, repeatable process rather than a bespoke arrangement. — Burak Onal, Kansas City Star, 10 Nov. 2026 That’s partly because science tends to focus on what’s measurable. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026 Rizzo noted that the vision loss from the condition tends to be irreversible and can become progressively worse, even if a patient stops taking the medication. — CBS News, 9 Nov. 2026 This tends to occur when heat stress is mild and coral cells can still function. — Connie Hanzhang Jin, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026 Getting more aggressive at writing new policies always tends to put pressure on an auto insurer's bottom line. — ABC News, 7 Nov. 2026 Mental health, studies show, tends to deteriorate rapidly as victims are forced into survival mode. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 7 Nov. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tends

Verb

If your ideal bedroom leans more serene sanctuary than grand hotel suite, Article’s Tessu bed frame might be the perfect gift to yourself before the holidays hit.

— Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 7 Nov. 2026
Next is their debut studio release In Endless Awe & Agony, which leans into the unfiltered texture of their voice.

— Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of leans

Verb

Although labs such as DeepSeek and Moonshot AI are private, the state supervises them at every stage and, increasingly, finances them.

— NIALL FERGUSON, Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026
Request the treating physician’s name and qualifications, then ask who performs each stage and how the physician supervises the team.

— Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of supervises

Verb

In the sweeping farmlands near the Central Coast, a seed supplier that cultivates peppers, vegetables and fruit was hit with more than two dozen pesticide safety violations, some of them serious offenses that caused health or environmental hazards.

— Robert J. Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
Like all classic noirs, Frank cultivates a sweaty, visceral realism to the main character’s desire to have a better life at any cost.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of cultivates

Verb

As the nation watches to see how the elections unfold on Tuesday night, election experts advise voters against listening to politicians who cry foul without offering evidence of fraud as ballots are being cast or counted.

— Kathryn Watson, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026
Try doing it in 15 districts with Washington cutting your funding while the whole country watches.

— Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of watches

Verb

Lighter and more powerful engine Northstar produces 715,000 pounds-force of thrust, compared with 640,000 pounds-force from the BE-4.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
Glass Entertainment produces the series for ABC News Studios, with executive producers including Jon Hirsch and Nancy Glass for Glass Entertainment; David Sloan; and Muriel Pearson for ABC News Studios.

— Selome Hailu, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of produces

Verb

Woodland plants like sweet woodruff and foamflower are best for shady spots.

— Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 14 Oct. 2026
Once Mooney plants the seed of his joke about how unhappy white Americans seemed after slavery the later images of Confederate memorial groups and white crowds at lynchings take on a surreal resonance.

— Beandrea July, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026