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

Run those numbers honestly, get a free quote for your vehicle, and the right call for your situation tends to make itself. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026 If your hair tends to get oily quickly, your wash routine can make a difference, too. — Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2026 Volatility tends to ease in November, with the VIX falling around 4% as the midterm results remove a key political overhang and provide investors with greater clarity on the policy backdrop, said James Ooi, market strategist at Tiger Brokers. — Joanna Ossinger,justina Lee, CNBC, 10 Sep. 2026 Rejuvenation Rejuvenation’s inventory tends to fall in the classic Americana category. — Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2026 Silver also tends to be more volatile than gold because of its significant industrial demand. — Amy Deyoung, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026 Experts say this storm may be only a taste of what is ahead as El Niño forecasts continues to strengthen, which tends to signal stormier-than-average weather. — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Turcotte said his poetry tends toward the deeply personal, and in particular his Native experience. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026 Historically, the demand for gasoline tends to decrease, which in turn brings down the price, during this time of the year. — Christian Cervantes, AZCentral.com, 3 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tends

Verb

Director Margaret Shigeko Starbuck leans into makeshift theatricality — flashlights, pool noodles, pocket umbrellas — while a nimble ensemble balances meta-theatrical humor with genuine feeling for Pericles and his beleaguered family.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
The scenery is beautiful, though the onboard entertainment leans into classic all-inclusive territory, complete with a digital saxophone performance, audience participation, and the inevitable Macarena throw down.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of leans

Verb

In her current role, Second Assistant District Attorney, Sprague supervises all homicides that occur in Plymouth County as well as all firearm and narcotics cases, according to her profile.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
The quotation should identify who designs the hairline, administers local anesthesia, performs recipient incisions and supervises graft placement.

— Malana VanTyler, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of supervises

Verb

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
To avert future calamities, the forest outside Bordeaux must be thinned and its fire breaks widened, said Arthur Guérin-Turcq, a Sorbonne University geographer whose family cultivates pines near Le Porge.

— Michael Finnegan, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of cultivates

Verb

Moore breathes life into Mona, but manages to intertwine a sense of entitlement that nods to her former life as traditional housewife.

— Cortlyn Kelly, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2026
Benkert manages dozens of properties in Kauai and has boarded up two houses on the western side of the island.

— ABC News, ABC News, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of manages

Verb

Bard watches in space as Saint-Etienne try to build up play from the back.

— Beren Cross, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Cinematographer Robert Kolodny’s camera watches from afar as Ryan embraces his pal out in an open field, providing comfort and consolation in this hour of need.

— Marshall Shaffer, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of watches

Verb

As Zai’s doubts about the wedding fester, scratches begin to appear on her legs, apparently the work of the phantom bride, while the menacing of this spirit produces blemishes on her skin.

— Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 6 Sep. 2026
Malaysia needs 50,000 engineers but produces only 5,000 engineering graduates per year.

— Brian Wong, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of produces

Verb

The club also plants and maintains various Naperville gardens, including Paw Paw Garden at Naper Settlement, Veterans Garden, Blue Star Marker Garden, and the garden and planters at the DuPage Children’s Museum and Trinity House.

— Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026
Standing at two hours and 30 minutes, along with a 15-minute intermission, the narrative plants you in the middle of a world of ironies.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 28 Aug. 2026