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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tend
Natalie Wu, CNBC, 7 July 2025
The plethora of celebrity voice cameos can feel grating, and the plots tend to lose the local Arlen vibe that made the first few seasons so immediately identifiable.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 7 July 2025
On a cold January night in 2015, two Kentucky teenagers — who were in love the way teens just three months into a relationship tend to be — talked and dreamed of seeing the ocean.
—Stephanie Kuzydym, The Courier-Journal, 6 July 2025
His turnover rate is sky high, which tends to be a bad indicator.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for tend
Verb
Majors that require quantitative and analytical skills, such as engineering, tend to lend the highest salaries within five years of graduation, according to data from the New York Fed.
—Natalie Wu, CNBC, 7 July 2025
The plethora of celebrity voice cameos can feel grating, and the plots tend to lose the local Arlen vibe that made the first few seasons so immediately identifiable.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 7 July 2025
On a cold January night in 2015, two Kentucky teenagers — who were in love the way teens just three months into a relationship tend to be — talked and dreamed of seeing the ocean.
—Stephanie Kuzydym, The Courier-Journal, 6 July 2025
His turnover rate is sky high, which tends to be a bad indicator.
—Sam Vecenie, New York Times, 26 June 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 18 Jul. 2025.
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