as in kindness
sympathetic concern for the well-being of others
volunteers at the shelter tended to all the animals in their care with great tenderness
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Recent Examples of tenderness
The pale, buttery sweet bread has an elastic bite on the outside that gives way to a plush, milky tenderness inside.
—
Restaurant Critic, Houston Chronicle, 6 May 2026
That particular brand of toughness that comes wrapped in tenderness.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
But, even if Church’s propensity to recruit nature for heavy-handed symbolism can seem too much today, something about his work—some combination of thrilling ambition, tact tethered to empiricism, and loving tenderness—continues to magnetize our spectacle-jaded eyes.
—Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Consider that as far back as a couple of hours before tipoff, the news came down that Jayson Tatum would miss the game due to right knee tenderness.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tenderness
Restaurant Critic, Houston Chronicle, 6 May 2026
That particular brand of toughness that comes wrapped in tenderness.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
But, even if Church’s propensity to recruit nature for heavy-handed symbolism can seem too much today, something about his work—some combination of thrilling ambition, tact tethered to empiricism, and loving tenderness—continues to magnetize our spectacle-jaded eyes.
—Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Consider that as far back as a couple of hours before tipoff, the news came down that Jayson Tatum would miss the game due to right knee tenderness.
—Steve Buckley, New York Times, 3 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for tenderness
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenderness
kindness
Noun
-
Understand that kindness and consideration can go a long way in these types of negotiation situations.—
Rebecca Jones,
Southern Living,
16 May 2026
-
Regardless of travel purpose or appearance, kindness and patience matter most in how passengers are treated.—
Joey Skladany,
Travel + Leisure,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tenderness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenderness. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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