tender

[ ten-der ]

/ ˈtɛn dər /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: tender / tendered / tenderer / tendering on Thesaurus.com

adjective, ten·der·er, ten·der·est.

soft or delicate in substance; not hard or tough: a tender steak.

weak or delicate in constitution; not strong or hardy.

(of plants) unable to withstand freezing temperatures.

young or immature: children of tender age.

delicate or soft in quality: tender blue.

delicate, soft, or gentle: the tender touch of her hand.

easily moved to sympathy or compassion; kind: a tender heart.

affectionate or loving; sentimental or amatory: a tender glance.

acutely or painfully sensitive: a tender bruise.

easily distressed; readily made uneasy: a tender conscience.

yielding readily to force or pressure; easily broken; fragile: These roofing shingles are too old and tender.

of a delicate or ticklish nature; requiring careful or tactful handling: a tender subject.

considerate or careful; wary or reluctant (usually followed by of): He was tender of imposing his views on others.

Nautical. crank² (def. 1).

noun

Usually ten·ders .

a strip of chicken meat loosely attached to the underside of each breast half, along the breastbone.
a boneless and skinless strip of chicken cut from the breast or thigh.

verb (used with object)

to make tender: He tendered the meat in his special marinade before throwing it on the grill.

Archaic. to regard or treat tenderly.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of tender

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

OTHER WORDS FROM tender

ten·der·ly, adverbten·der·ness, nounself-ten·der·ness, nounun·ten·der·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tender

tender , tenor, tenure

Other definitions for tender (2 of 3)

tender²

[ ten-der ]

/ ˈtɛn dər /

verb (used with object)

to present formally for acceptance; make formal offer of: to tender one's resignation.

to offer or proffer.

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.

verb (used without object)

to make or submit a bid (often followed by for).

noun

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

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

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

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

OTHER WORDS FOR tender

5 proposal, proffer.

See synonyms for tender on Thesaurus.com

Origin of tender

First recorded in 1535–45; earlier tendre, noun use of Anglo-French tendre “to extend, offer”; see tend¹

synonym study for tender

1. See offer.

OTHER WORDS FROM tender

ten·der·er, noun

Other definitions for tender (3 of 3)

tender³

[ ten-der ]

/ ˈtɛn dər /

noun

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

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

a dinghy carried or towed by a yacht.

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

Origin of tender

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English; originally a variant of attender; see tend², -er¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use tender in a sentence

Messrs. Spick and Span's representative was wounded in his tenderest point, but his firm carried out the order to the letter.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
She felt assured that her daughter was received with maternal love by one who would ever watch over her with the tenderest care.
Madame Roland, Makers of History|John S. C. Abbott
I took him up in my arms, and he threw his little hands about my neck, and lavished on me the tenderest caresses.
My Ten Years' Imprisonment|Silvio Pellico
At Ion Grandma Elsie lay quietly sleeping, her three daughters watching over her with tenderest care and solicitude.
Elsie's Vacation and After Events|Martha Finley

They are cheap, common little puppets, but she robes and disrobes them with tenderest care.
Penelope's Experiences in Scotland|Kate Douglas Wiggin

British Dictionary definitions for tender (1 of 3)

tender¹

/ (ˈtɛndə) /

adjective

easily broken, cut, or crushed; soft; not tougha tender steak

easily damaged; vulnerable or sensitivea tender youth; at a tender age

having or expressing warm and affectionate feelingsa tender smile

kind, merciful, or sympathetica tender heart

arousing warm feelings; touchinga tender memory

gentle and delicatea tender breeze

requiring care in handling; ticklisha tender question

painful or sorea tender wound

sensitive to moral or spiritual feelingsa tender conscience

(postpositive foll by of) careful or protectivetender of one's emotions

(of a sailing vessel) easily keeled over by a wind; crankCompare stiff (def. 10)

verb

(tr) rare

to make tender
to treat tenderly

Derived forms of tender

tenderly, adverbtenderness, noun

Word Origin for tender

C13: from Old French tendre, from Latin tener delicate

British Dictionary definitions for tender (2 of 3)

tender²

/ (ˈtɛndə) /

verb

(tr) to give, present, or offerto tender one's resignation; tender a bid

(intr foll by for) to make a formal offer or estimate for (a job or contract)

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

noun

the act or an instance of tendering; offer

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

something, esp money, used as an official medium of paymentlegal tender

Derived forms of tender

tenderable, adjectivetenderer, noun

Word Origin for tender

C16: from Anglo-French tendre, from Latin tendere to extend; see tend 1

British Dictionary definitions for tender (3 of 3)

tender³

/ (ˈtɛndə) /

noun

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

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

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

a person who tends

Word Origin for tender

C15: variant of attender

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for tender

tender

[ tĕn′dər ]

adj.

Easily crushed or bruised; fragile.

Easily hurt; sensitive.

Painful; sore.

Other Idioms and Phrases with tender

tender

see leave to someone's tender mercies.

tender

Origin of tender

OTHER WORDS FROM tender

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH tender

Other definitions for tender (2 of 3)

OTHER WORDS FOR tender

Origin of tender

synonym study for tender

OTHER WORDS FROM tender

Other definitions for tender (3 of 3)

Origin of tender

Words related to tender

How to use tender in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tender (1 of 3)

Derived forms of tender

Word Origin for tender

British Dictionary definitions for tender (2 of 3)

Derived forms of tender

Word Origin for tender

British Dictionary definitions for tender (3 of 3)

Word Origin for tender

Medical definitions for tender

Other Idioms and Phrases with tender