attend

American  

[uh-tend] / əˈtɛnd /

verb (used with object)

1. to be present at.

   to attend a lecture; to attend church.

2. to go with as a concomitant or result; accompany.

   Fever may attend a cold. Success attended her hard work.

3. to take care of; minister to; devote one's services to.

   The nurse attended the patient daily.

4. to wait upon; accompany as a companion or servant.

   The retainers attended their lord.

5. to take charge of; watch over; look after; tend; guard.

   to attend one's health.

6. to listen to; give heed to.

7. Archaic. to wait for; expect.

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verb (used without object)

1. to take care or charge.

   to attend to a sick person.

2. to apply oneself.

   to attend to one's work.

3. to pay attention; listen or watch attentively; direct one's thought; pay heed.

   to attend to a speaker.

4. to be present.

   She is a member but does not attend regularly.

5. to be present and ready to give service; wait (usually followed by on orupon ).

   to attend upon the Queen.

6. to follow; be consequent (usually followed by on orupon ).

7. Obsolete. to wait.

attend British  

/ əˈtɛnd /

verb

1. to be present at (an event, meeting, etc)

2. to give care; minister

3. to pay attention; listen

4. (tr; often passive) to accompany or follow

   a high temperature attended by a severe cough

5. (intr; foll by on or upon) to follow as a consequence (of)

6. to devote one's time; apply oneself

   to attend to the garden

7. (tr) to escort or accompany

8. (intr; foll by on or upon) to wait (on); serve; provide for the needs (of)

   to attend on a guest

9. archaic (tr) to wait for; expect

10. obsolete (intr) to delay

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Related Words

See accompany.

Other Word Forms

• attender
  noun
• attendingly
  adverb
• well-attended
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of attend

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English atenden, from Anglo-French, Old French atendre, from Latin attendere “to bend to, notice,” from at- at- + tendere “to stretch, extend, proceed”; cf. tend ¹

Explanation

The verb attend means to be present, to listen, or give care or attention to. You can attend your family reunion, attend to a project you've been ignoring, or attend to your teacher's voice. When you use attend as "pay attention" or "take care of," it's followed by "to." When you use attend as in "attend a party," you don't. If you attend a political rally, you'll want to attend to what the politicians have to say. When you take attendance, you are checking which students have chosen to attend class, i.e. who is in attendance.

Example Sentences

Appeared in the April 21, 2026, print edition as 'Iran to Attend Pakistan Peace Talks'.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

Attend a barbecue, church potluck or summer dinner in the small city of Cleveland in eastern Tennessee, and somewhere on the table, there will be a dish of hot slaw.

From New York Times • May 18, 2024

Attend one of her pop-up parties, and you'll discover caviar-topped pizza, crab rangoon and caviar, even glazed Dunkin' Munchkins topped with a dollop of caviar.

From Salon • Nov. 26, 2022

Attend enough trainings at the Sounders facility at Starfire Sports in Tukwila and a variation of all his scores can be spotted at some point.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 20, 2021

Attend to me as I draw back the curtain to reveal a long-kept minstrel’s secret Let’s say you are out at an inn.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Related Words

• follow
• hear
• note
• observe
• watch