tend

1 of 2

verb (1)

ˈtend How to pronounce tend (audio)
tended; tending; tends
Synonyms of tendnext

intransitive verb

1
: to exhibit an inclination or tendency : conduce
tends to be optimistic
2
: to move, direct, or develop one's course in a particular direction
cannot tell where society is tending

tend

2 of 2

verb (2)

tended; tending; tends

intransitive verb

1
: to pay attention : apply oneself
tend to your own affairs
tend to our correspondence
2
: to act as an attendant : serve
tended to his wife
3
archaic : listen
4
obsolete : await

transitive verb

1
a
: to apply oneself to the care of : watch over
tended her sick father
b
: to have or take charge of as a caretaker or overseer
tend the sheep
c
: cultivate, foster
d
: to manage the operations of : mind
tend the store
tend the fire
2
: to stand by (something, such as a rope) in readiness to prevent mischance (such as fouling)
3
archaic : to attend as a servant

Synonyms of tend

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Verb (1)

Verb (2)

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of tend in a Sentence

Verb (1) her wardrobe tends toward dark colors and heavy fabrics Verb (2) tend the store while I run an errand lately I haven't been doing a good job of tending my garden plots that during the war were tended by city dwellers as vegetable gardens the dying patriarch wondered who would tend the family business after he was gone
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
But to Porsha’s point about Candiace, sometimes these newer cities tend to lean more into the caricature of being a Real Housewife than show up organically and try to build a sisterhood. — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026 That’s because postseason games tend to be close, and good lineups rarely let any starter last beyond six innings. — Tyler Kepner, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026 The fruits are enjoyed by birds, and deer tend to avoid this shrub, most likely due to the sharp spines. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 6 Sep. 2026 His carefully coiffed side parting is as immaculate as his smile, something that distinguishes him from the rest of his party, whose members tend to grimace rather than grin. — Esme Nicholson, NPR, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tend

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English tenden "to stretch, spread, direct oneself (to), incline toward," borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French tendre "to stretch, hold out, offer, direct (one's course), go, aim (at)," going back to Latin tendere "to extend outward, stretch, spread out, direct (one's course), aim (at a purpose)" (Medieval Latin, "to lead toward, move in a particular direction") — more at tender entry 3

Verb (2)

Middle English tenden, shortened from attenden "to attend" or entenden, intenden "to intend"

First Known Use

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of tend was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing tend

Rhymes for tend

See All Rhymes for tend

Browse Nearby Words

Ten Commandments
tend
Tendai
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tend. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tend

1 of 2 verb
ˈtend How to pronounce tend (audio)
1
: to pay attention
tend to business
2
a
: to take care of
b
: to help the growth or development of
tend the garden
3
: to have responsibility for as caretaker
tended sheep
4
: to manage the operation of or do the necessary work connected with
tend the fire

tend

2 of 2 verb
1
: to move or turn in a certain direction
the road tends to the right
2
: to be likely
a person who tends to slouch
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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