1
as in to watch
to take charge of especially on behalf of another
tend the store while I run an errand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to grow
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
4
as in to manage
to look after and make decisions about
the dying patriarch wondered who would tend the family business after he was gone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Examples 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
H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 8 Jan. 2025
Offer Comfort After experiencing a disaster, whether firsthand or through media images, kids tend to worry about their family's safety or fear that the event will happen again.
—Tamekia Reece, Parents, 8 Jan. 2025
During the high season, both tend to get extremely crowded.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2025
Replace your old shower caddy with a corner caddy
Over-the-showerhead or hanger caddies tend to be bulky and can be unstable depending on the weight of the products on them.
—Jordan Goldberg, Architectural Digest, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tend 
Verb
According to Butler and Desai, chick lit tends to celebrate an ostentatious culture of globe-trotting shopping sprees—mainly in Western centers of fashion and power, such as London and New York.
—H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 8 Jan. 2025
Offer Comfort After experiencing a disaster, whether firsthand or through media images, kids tend to worry about their family's safety or fear that the event will happen again.
—Tamekia Reece, Parents, 8 Jan. 2025
During the high season, both tend to get extremely crowded.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2025
Replace your old shower caddy with a corner caddy
Over-the-showerhead or hanger caddies tend to be bulky and can be unstable depending on the weight of the products on them.
—Jordan Goldberg, Architectural Digest, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for tend
Articles Related to tend
Thesaurus Entries Near tend
Cite this Entry
“Tend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tend. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share