tend (to)

verb

Definition of tend (to)next
1
as in to minister (to)

Related Words

Relevance
2
as in to cotton (to)

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tend (to)
  1. like
  2. prefer
  3. gravitate
  4. favor
Verb
  • On the other side is Gadi Eisenkot, a centrist former military chief who is temperate and broadly liked but lacks the political instincts to become a clear favorite.
    — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The Cougars stuffed all the ways Utah likes to run the ball until Dampier took matters into his own hands and posted a season high in rushing in electrifying style.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of like
Verb
  • Janus prefers to keep the conversation focused on the memory of those who were lost to the crime.
    — Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Holmen’s own mountaineering guide Audun prefers not to share the names or locations of ascents anymore.
    — Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of prefer
Verb
  • Bookworms might also gravitate to the sunroom’s banquette seating, one of the wicker chairs on the wraparound porch, or the breakfast room, a delightfully matchy-matchy enclave covered in Pierre Frey Les Colonnes wallpaper and curtains.
    — Lauren Mechling, Architectural Digest, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Minimalism is catching a lot of attention lately, especially as people gravitate toward a move away from information overload and addictive algorithms.
    — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of gravitate
Verb
  • Polls broadly show Democrats favored in the national popular vote for the House, and competitive in a series of red-state Senate races that will decide control of the upper chamber.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
  • And Republicans favor tax cuts for the wealthiest, while supporting tariffs that are clobbering many families.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of favor
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

tends (to)
tend (to)
tenebrific
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tend (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tend%20%28to%29. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of wraith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All