easy
The nurse used a tender voice to calm the child.
What does Tender mean?
gentle, caring, soft, or sensitive.
Dictionary definition
Tender describes something gentle, caring, soft, or easily hurt.
Example sentences
Tender in a sentence
medium
The story showed a tender moment between the boy and his grandfather.
hard
Her ankle was still tender after the long hike, so she walked slowly.
Writing practice
Ready to write your own? Study the examples, then practice tender in a sentence with Sentence Builder checklist feedback.
Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Tender
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does tender mean?
Tender can describe gentle care, soft feeling, or an area that is easily hurt.
Practice 2
Which word is closest in meaning to tender?
Gentle is close in meaning to tender in this dictionary entry.
Practice 3
Which word is an antonym of tender?
Harsh contrasts with tender in this dictionary entry.
Practice complete
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Pronunciation coach
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Tender
Voice settings
Sounds like
ten · der · strongest beat: ten
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordTender.
Partadjective.
MeaningTender means gentle, caring, soft, or sensitive.
ExampleExample: The nurse used a tender voice to calm the child.
Word breakdown
2 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- ten · der
- Strongest beat
- ten
- Ending
- der
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on ten.
Your turn
Say Tender
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Nice work—you practiced tender.
Synonyms
Words like Tender
Antonyms
Opposite words
Synonym practice
Want to practice tender synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The soft bread tore easily," then compare close word choices. Practice tender synonyms.
Word family
Tender word family
Base word
tender
adjective
tender
Gentle, caring, soft, or sensitive.
adverb
tenderly
In a gentle or caring way.
noun
tenderness
Gentleness, care, or sensitivity.
Related words
Explore related words
Student support
Understand Tender
Hint for students
gentle, caring, soft, or sensitive.
Common mix-up
Tender is not the same as harsh. Tender means gentle, caring, soft, or sensitive.
Try it in class or at home
Read this model sentence: The story showed a tender moment between the boy and his grandfather. Clue words: story, showed, moment. Underline clue words that show why tender fits instead of harsh. Now write one new sentence that shows tender without using the word tender. Ask: Does my sentence clearly show tender?
Teacher prompt
Ask students to explain this model sentence: "The story showed a tender moment between the boy and his grandfather." Why does tender fit better than harsh?
Learning activities
Practice Tender and explore more word games
Cards labelled “Practice TENDER” keep this word in focus. Explore cards open games with other words.
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Sentence Builder
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