tenderness
noun
ten·der·ness
ˈten-dər-nəs 
: a tender quality or condition: such as
a
: gentleness and affection
His voice quavered with tenderness.—
Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates
b
: the quality of being succulent and easily chewed
How you carve the meat enhances the tenderness and juiciness of each portion.—Kemp Minifie
Kemp Minifie
c
: sensitivity to touch or palpation
They found a small increased risk of reactions such as redness, swelling, and/or tenderness at the injection site …—The Journal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical AssociationExamples of tenderness in a Sentence
volunteers at the shelter tended to all the animals in their care with great tenderness
Recent Examples on the Web
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread With Peanut Crumble The combination of overripe banana and vegetable oil in this recipe for chocolate chip banana bread, adapted from baker Valerie Gordon, give it its just-right tenderness.
—Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2025
In addition to the discomfort felt in such areas, people with hip pain may also experience swelling, increased tenderness, bruising, difficulty walking, maintaining posture or even trouble sleeping.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
Howie’s pictorial style is designed for radio, and radio is key to Mets fans’ tenderness toward Howie.
—Joshua Dubler, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025
Even so, Lowery crafts a lovely, heartfelt coming-of-age movie in the vein of a 1980s Amblin Entertainment production, infused with compassion and tenderness.
—Josh Bell, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tenderness
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Betty Hallock, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2025
In addition to the discomfort felt in such areas, people with hip pain may also experience swelling, increased tenderness, bruising, difficulty walking, maintaining posture or even trouble sleeping.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
Howie’s pictorial style is designed for radio, and radio is key to Mets fans’ tenderness toward Howie.
—Joshua Dubler, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025
Even so, Lowery crafts a lovely, heartfelt coming-of-age movie in the vein of a 1980s Amblin Entertainment production, infused with compassion and tenderness.
—Josh Bell, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tenderness
Cite this Entry
“Tenderness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tenderness. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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