Synonyms of tends

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• leans
• trends
• inclines
• goes
• runs
• indicates
• suggests
• gravitates
• points

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• avoids
• shuns
• shies (from or away from)

tends

2 of 2

verb (2)

present tense third-person singular of tend

1

as in supervises

to take charge of especially on behalf of another

tend the store while I run an errand

Synonyms & Similar Words

• supervises
• watches
• oversees
• manages
• attends
• operates
• protects
• looks after
• superintends
• runs
• minds
• controls
• sees to
• cares (for)
• governs
• guards
• conducts
• sees after
• guides
• takes care of
• directs
• regulates
• patrols
• shields
• presides (over)
• administrates
• babies
• mothers
• safeguards
• stewards
• shepherds
• babysits
• chaperones
• chaperons

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignores
• neglects
• forgets
• abandons
• passes over
• disregards

2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• grows
• cultivates
• produces
• promotes
• plants
• crops
• raises
• cultures
• dresses
• rears
• propagates
• harvests
• breeds
• roots
• ripens
• gathers
• sows
• reaps
• quickens
• gleans
• germinates
• sprouts

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• kills
• picks
• pulls (up)
• plucks
• digs
• cuts
• uproots
• mows
• extirpates
• hays

3

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cultivates
• plants
• farms
• harvests
• tills
• crops
• reaps
• harrows
• hoes
• sharecrops

4

as in manages

to look after and make decisions about

the dying patriarch wondered who would tend the family business after he was gone

Synonyms & Similar Words

• manages
• operates
• supervises
• oversees
• regulates
• runs
• handles
• conducts
• controls
• governs
• directs
• keeps
• guides
• administers
• protects
• carries on
• leads
• overlooks
• watches over
• presides (over)
• superintends
• administrates
• steers
• watches
• stewards
• minds
• cares (for)
• pilots
• guards
• safeguards
• micromanages
• stage-manages
• comanages
• codirects

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of tends

Verb

The condition tends to worsen in late fall or early winter and end in spring, according to the Cleveland Clinic. —Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Flowering tends to wane during the dog days of summer, at which point plants can be cut back by half to encourage a fresh flush of autumn blooms. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2025

History tends not to favor hyper-prolific composers, who are suspected of producing music by the yard. —Alex Ross, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025

Plus, cheese tends to be packed with salt, which may help replenish electrolytes lost to drinking. —Jamie Ducharme, Health, 8 Sep. 2025

And raising or lowering interest rates to help one tends to hurt the other in the short term. —Stan Choe, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2025

The failure to bury negative search results in the first place tends to start with a lack of positive information about you or your business online. —Ross Kernez, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Rainwater tends to gather along the road edges. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2025

Rainwater tends to accumulate at the road edges. —Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025