tended; tending; tends
2
: to move, direct, or develop one's course in a particular direction
cannot tell where society is tending
tended; tending; tends
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
1
2
: to stand by (something, such as a rope) in readiness to prevent mischance (such as fouling)
3
archaic
: to attend as a servant
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
Anju Goel, Verywell Health, 26 Apr. 2025
That’s likely because language can be learned outside a formal education and many graduates tend to go into relatively low-paying fields, like education, translation or public service.
—Mike Winters, CNBC, 26 Apr. 2025
His shorter throws tend to come out wobbly, something that presented itself during his pro day, and that’s a concern for teams that run a lot of quick timing routes.
—Jeff Howe, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
The sector’s blue chips tend to be overcrowded, which is a recipe for limited yields.
—Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tend
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Verb
These infections tend to occur during the colder months and are easily spread among family members.
—Anju Goel, Verywell Health, 26 Apr. 2025
That’s likely because language can be learned outside a formal education and many graduates tend to go into relatively low-paying fields, like education, translation or public service.
—Mike Winters, CNBC, 26 Apr. 2025
His shorter throws tend to come out wobbly, something that presented itself during his pro day, and that’s a concern for teams that run a lot of quick timing routes.
—Jeff Howe, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2025
The sector’s blue chips tend to be overcrowded, which is a recipe for limited yields.
—Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tend
Cite this Entry
“Tend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tend. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tend
1 of 2 verb1
: 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 verb1
: to move or turn in a certain direction
the road tends to the right
2
: to be likely
a person who tends to slouch
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