tender

¹ American  

[ten-der] / ˈtɛn dər /

adjective

tenderer, tenderest

1. soft or delicate in substance; not hard or tough.

   a tender steak.

2. weak or delicate in constitution; not strong or hardy.

3. (of plants) unable to withstand freezing temperatures.

4. young or immature.

   children of tender age.

5. delicate or soft in quality.

   tender blue.

6. delicate, soft, or gentle.

   the tender touch of her hand.

7. easily moved to sympathy or compassion; kind.

   a tender heart.

8. affectionate or loving; sentimental or amatory.

   a tender glance.

9. acutely or painfully sensitive.

   a tender bruise.

10. easily distressed; readily made uneasy.

    a tender conscience.

11. yielding readily to force or pressure; easily broken; fragile.

    These roofing shingles are too old and tender.

12. of a delicate or ticklish nature; requiring careful or tactful handling.

    a tender subject.

13. considerate or careful; wary or reluctant (usually followed byof ).

    He was tender of imposing his views on others.

14. Nautical. crank.

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noun

1. Usually tenders

   1. a strip of chicken meat loosely attached to the underside of each breast half, along the breastbone.

   2. a boneless and skinless strip of chicken cut from the breast or thigh.

verb (used with object)

1. to make tender.

   He tendered the meat in his special marinade before throwing it on the grill.

2. Archaic. to regard or treat tenderly.

tender ² American  

[ten-der] / ˈtɛn dər /

verb (used with object)

1. to present formally for acceptance; make formal offer of.

   to tender one's resignation.

2. to offer or proffer.

3. Law. to offer, as money or goods, in payment of a debt or other obligation, especially in exact accordance with the terms of the law and of the obligation.

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verb (used without object)

1. to make or submit a bid (often followed byfor ).

noun

1. the act of tendering; an offer of something for acceptance.

   Synonyms:

   proffer, proposal

2. something tendered or offered, especially money, as in payment.

3. Commerce. an offer made in writing by one party to another to execute certain work, supply certain commodities, etc., at a given cost; bid.

4. Law. an offer, as of money or goods, in payment or satisfaction of a debt or other obligation.

tender ³ American  

[ten-der] / ˈtɛn dər /

noun

1. a person who tends; a person who attends to or takes charge of someone or something.

2. an auxiliary ship employed to attend one or more other ships, as for supplying provisions.

3. a dinghy carried or towed by a yacht.

4. Railroads. a car attached to a steam locomotive for carrying fuel and water.

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tender ¹ British  

/ ˈtɛndə /

adjective

1. easily broken, cut, or crushed; soft; not tough

   a tender steak

2. easily damaged; vulnerable or sensitive

   a tender youth

   at a tender age

3. having or expressing warm and affectionate feelings

   a tender smile

4. kind, merciful, or sympathetic

   a tender heart

5. arousing warm feelings; touching

   a tender memory

6. gentle and delicate

   a tender breeze

7. requiring care in handling; ticklish

   a tender question

8. painful or sore

   a tender wound

9. sensitive to moral or spiritual feelings

   a tender conscience

10. careful or protective

    tender of one's emotions

11. (of a sailing vessel) easily keeled over by a wind; crank Compare stiff

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verb

1. rare (tr)

   1. to make tender

   2. to treat tenderly

tender ² British  

/ ˈtɛndə /

verb

1. (tr) to give, present, or offer

   to tender one's resignation

   tender a bid

2. to make a formal offer or estimate for (a job or contract)

3. (tr) law to offer (money or goods) in settlement of a debt or claim

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noun

1. the act or an instance of tendering; offer

2. commerce a formal offer to supply specified goods or services at a stated cost or rate

3. something, esp money, used as an official medium of payment

   legal tender

tender ³ British  

/ ˈtɛndə /

noun

1. a small boat, such as a dinghy, towed or carried by a yacht or ship

2. a vehicle drawn behind a steam locomotive to carry the fuel and water

3. an ancillary vehicle used to carry supplies, spare parts, etc, for a mobile operation, such as an outside broadcast

4. a person who tends

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tender Idioms  

1. see leave to someone's tender mercies.

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Related Words

See offer.

Other Word Forms

• self-tenderness noun
• tenderable adjective
• tenderer noun
• tenderly adverb
• tenderness noun

Etymology

Origin of tender¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, variant of tendre, from Old French, from Latin tenerum, accusative of tener “tender”

Origin of tender²

First recorded in 1535–45; earlier tendre, noun use of Anglo-French tendre “to extend, offer”; see tend ¹

Origin of tender³

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; originally a variant of attender; see tend ², -er ¹

Explanation

If you're tender, it means you're fragile, sensitive, easily bruised or gentle. Young, easily cut beef and a sentimental heart can both be called tender. The many meanings attributed to tender developed over time. In the early 13th century, the word meant soft or easily injured. About a hundred years later, its meaning expanded to include kind and loving. Skip forward another century, and tender could also imply a lack of maturity.

Example Sentences

It has been with him all his life, and it is a conductor’s opera — complex, fleeting, sylvan, changeable, tender and tough.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

Use it in scones, and you get that tender, slightly crumbly texture without much effort.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

It’s tender, fragrant and built for easy slicing, the kind of bake that feels both low-effort and quietly celebratory.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

The Italian group is unlikely to increase the bid price and any tender should be limited, they add.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

She put the bracer on her left forearm, positioning it to keep her sleeve from interfering with her quick draw, but also to cover the tender inside.

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

Related Words

• gentle
• mild
• mushy
• poignant
• romantic
• sentimental
• soft
• thoughtful
• touching
• warm