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
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 May 2026
This breezy linen version comes in a dozen vacation-ready hues, but white tends to be the most versatile.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026
The young people who pick up popular science books at the library tend to be deeply curious and self-motivated—qualities that also characterize great researchers.
—Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Policymakers also tend to recalibrate portfolios during bouts of market stress, with some selling reflecting tactical concerns about rising inflation and falling bond values — a move into cash-like assets to ensure liquidity should intervention needs escalate, Neumann said.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tend
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show current usage.
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Verb
This is one of few Rosewood hotels in the region (there's the newly re-opened, Rosewood Little Dix Bay in the BVIs, and one upcoming on Antigua in 2022) and the group tends to focus on the destination without compromising the creature comforts that come with the price tag.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 May 2026
This breezy linen version comes in a dozen vacation-ready hues, but white tends to be the most versatile.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026
The young people who pick up popular science books at the library tend to be deeply curious and self-motivated—qualities that also characterize great researchers.
—Literary Hub, 20 May 2026
Policymakers also tend to recalibrate portfolios during bouts of market stress, with some selling reflecting tactical concerns about rising inflation and falling bond values — a move into cash-like assets to ensure liquidity should intervention needs escalate, Neumann said.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tend
Cite this Entry
“Tend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tend. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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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