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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tend
Antón Barba-Kay, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2025
Interior spaces, like an empty hospital corridor where Nina awaits bad news, tend to be statically and symmetrically framed, an aesthetic decision that, in this environment, might evoke a sterile, clinical detachment.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
While crowds tend to descend upon San Marco, the tourist hub home to St. Mark’s Basilica and the Bridge of Sighs, other Venetian destinations provide a more private, exclusive experience.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2025
And lots of folks tend to overlook their calves, which can be a problem, since studies show its larger soleus muscle does much of the work of propelling you upward and forward.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tend
Verb
Some platforms tend to remove the grisliest content, and some ban a few cartels outright.
—Antón Barba-Kay, The Atlantic, 26 Apr. 2025
Interior spaces, like an empty hospital corridor where Nina awaits bad news, tend to be statically and symmetrically framed, an aesthetic decision that, in this environment, might evoke a sterile, clinical detachment.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025
While crowds tend to descend upon San Marco, the tourist hub home to St. Mark’s Basilica and the Bridge of Sighs, other Venetian destinations provide a more private, exclusive experience.
—Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2025
And lots of folks tend to overlook their calves, which can be a problem, since studies show its larger soleus muscle does much of the work of propelling you upward and forward.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tend
Cite this Entry
“Tend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tend. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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