tend 1 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

tend

2 of 2

verb (2)

1
2
3
as in to cultivate
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

4

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 tend
Verb
Indeed, research suggests that perimenopausal and menopausal women who follow high-protein diets tend to lose less muscle mass and gain less weight compared to those who don’t prioritize the macronutrient. Marygrace Taylor, Flow Space, 18 July 2025 That’s because stations in rural areas and smaller communities tend to rely more heavily on the federal subsidy. Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 18 July 2025 But self-help culture tends to treat optimism like a cure-all as if every problem is just a thought pattern waiting to be reversed. Ranju Kunwor, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025 Vibes matter with those voters, but big ideological questions tend to be front and center. Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for tend

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tend. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on tend

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!