tender
tender — adjective
1. showing warmth, care, and gentle affection toward someone you love or feel close
showing warmth, care, and gentle affection toward someone you love or feel close to — the way a parent holds a baby or a person speaks to a sick friend.
Rania gave her grandmother a tender hug before leaving for school.
collocation: tender hug / tender kiss
The nurse spoke to the elderly patient in a tender voice.
collocation: tender voice
Christopher wrote a tender letter to his wife while he was away.
There was a tender moment between the father and his daughter at the wedding.
collocation: tender moment
- tender hug
- tender kiss
- tender moment
- tender voice
- tender look
- affectionate
more active in showing love through behavior; slightly more formal
- gentle
broader, can describe touch or nature without the emotional warmth
- loving
stronger emotional bond; can describe relationships as well as actions
Usage Note
Describes actions, words, or looks directed at another person. Usually not used to describe a person's general character (use 'kind' or 'gentle' instead).
Common Mistakes
2. used when a body part hurts when you press or move it, often after an injury, il
used when a body part hurts when you press or move it, often after an injury, illness, or overuse — for instance, a bruised arm or tired muscles after a workout.
Greta's shoulder was still tender a week after she fell off her bike.
The doctor gently pressed the tender area around Liang's ankle.
collocation: tender area
After the long run, Ishaan's leg muscles felt tender and sore.
pattern: feel tender + adjective pair (tender and sore)
You should avoid putting weight on that tender knee until it heals.
- tender area
- tender spot
- tender muscle
- tender to the touch
- still tender
- pain-free
without any hurt or discomfort
Grammar Patterns
tender + body part
be tender when touched
Usage Note
Subject is always a body part (or 'area' referring to a body part). Frequently used with 'still' to indicate ongoing pain after an injury.
Common Mistakes
3. describing cooked meat or vegetables so soft that you can slice and chew them wi
describing cooked meat or vegetables so soft that you can slice and chew them with little effort — the opposite of tough or hard textures.
The beef was so tender that it fell apart with just a fork.
pattern: so + tender + that-clause
Romi roasted the chicken until the meat was tender and juicy.
collocation: tender and juicy
A tender piece of fish should flake easily when you press it.
The carrots were tender after boiling them for twenty minutes.
Brian prefers his steak tender rather than well-done and tough.
contrast: tender vs tough
- tender meat
- tender and juicy
- tender chicken
- tender vegetables
- tender beef
- tough
hard to cut or chew; the direct opposite for meat
Grammar Patterns
tender + meat / vegetable
Usage Note
Used almost exclusively in cooking contexts. When describing meat, 'tender' contrasts with 'tough'. For vegetables, it overlaps with 'soft' but carries a positive quality judgment.
Common Mistakes
4. vulnerable to frost and low temperatures, physical force, or harsh conditions —
vulnerable to frost and low temperatures, physical force, or harsh conditions — used especially about young plants, shoots, or seedlings that need protection.
Tender young plants should be brought indoors when frost is expected.
collocation: tender young plants
Amani covered the tender seedlings with a cloth to protect them from the cold.
These flowers are too tender to survive a harsh winter outdoors.
pattern: too + tender + to-infinitive
The gardener moved the tender herbs into the greenhouse before the storm.
- tender plant
- tender seedling
- tender shoot
- tender herb
- tender crop
Grammar Patterns
tender + plant / shoot / seedling
Usage Note
Primarily a gardening term. When extended to non-plant contexts, it describes anything that cannot withstand rough treatment or harsh environments.
5. at a young age, especially when the person lacks the maturity or experience that
at a young age, especially when the person lacks the maturity or experience that comes with being older — often used in the phrase 'at a tender age' to show concern or sympathy.
Sofia left home at the tender age of seventeen to study abroad.
fixed phrase: at the tender age of
The children were sent to boarding school at a tender age.
Losing a parent at such a tender age can affect a child deeply.
pattern: at such a tender age
The pianist had already performed in public at the tender age of nine.
- tender age
- at a tender age
- at the tender age of
- young
neutral; lacks the emotional tone of concern that 'tender' carries
- impressionable
focuses on being easily influenced rather than age itself
- mature
fully grown or developed in age and judgment
- advanced in years
formal; referring to old age
Grammar Patterns
tender + age noun (tender age)
Usage Note
Almost always appears in the fixed expression 'at a tender age' or 'at the tender age of [number]'. Carries a tone of sympathy, concern, or mild surprise that someone so young did something.
Common Mistakes
When someone is very young and has little experience.
Maya started learning piano at the tender age of four.
He moved to a new country at a tender age and adapted quickly.
tender — noun
1. a formal written offer to provide goods, services, or complete a project at a st
a formal written offer to provide goods, services, or complete a project at a stated price — usually submitted in response to an invitation in business or government.
Three construction companies submitted tenders for the new hospital project.
collocation: submit a tender
The city council put the cleaning contract out to tender last month.
fixed phrase: put [something] out to tender
Lakan's company won the tender to supply office furniture to the school.
collocation: win a tender
All tenders must be received by the government office before Friday.
- submit a tender
- win a tender
- put out to tender
- tender process
- tender document
Grammar Patterns
submit a tender
put out to tender
Usage Note
Common in business and government contexts. 'Put out to tender' means inviting companies to bid. 'Win a tender' means your offer is accepted.
Common Mistakes
2. a formal proposal to purchase company stock at a set price, typically during a t
a formal proposal to purchase company stock at a set price, typically during a takeover bid or a share sale.
The board rejected the tender offer of forty dollars per share.
collocation: tender offer
Shareholders can accept the tender and sell their stocks next week.
Ilhan reviewed the tender document before deciding to sell his shares.
A rival company made a tender offer to buy thirty percent of the firm.
collocation: make a tender offer
- tender offer
- make a tender
- accept a tender
- tender for shares
- bid
more general term for an offer to buy; 'tender offer' is the specific legal term
- takeover bid
specifically for acquiring a controlling stake in a company
Grammar Patterns
tender offer
Usage Note
Almost always appears in the term 'tender offer' — a specific financial procedure. Not used in everyday conversation about buying or selling shares on the stock exchange.
3. the process of asking companies to compete for a project by submitting prices an
the process of asking companies to compete for a project by submitting prices and plans; the system through which contracts are awarded through competition.
The school's kitchen renovation will go out to tender next month.
fixed phrase: go out to tender
Several firms are preparing their bids after the tender was announced.
The government awarded the contract through an open tender process.
collocation: tender process
Isabela's company decided not to participate in the tender this time.
- go out to tender
- put out to tender
- tender process
- open tender
- tender period
- bidding process
less formal; used in both business and everyday contexts
- competitive bidding
emphasizes the competitive nature of the process
Grammar Patterns
put [something] out to tender
go out to tender
Usage Note
Often used in uncountable form ('put work out to tender') where it refers to the system or process, not a single document. Countable when referring to a particular instance (e.g. 'the tender was announced').
4. a specially designed vehicle attached behind a steam locomotive that carries wat
a specially designed vehicle attached behind a steam locomotive that carries water, coal, or fuel for the engine; or a fire service vehicle that carries water.
The old steam locomotive pulled a tender loaded with coal and water.
Railway enthusiasts gathered to photograph the locomotive and its tender.
The fire department arrived with a tender carrying several thousand litres of water.
fire service context: fire tender
Each tender could hold enough coal for a journey of about one hundred miles.
- locomotive tender
- fire tender
- coal tender
- water tender
Usage Note
Rare in modern life except in historical railway contexts or specialist fire-service vocabulary. Most learners will encounter this only in reading about steam trains.
5. a vessel used to transfer passengers or cargo between land and a ship anchored o
a vessel used to transfer passengers or cargo between land and a ship anchored out at sea.
A tender took the passengers from the cruise ship to the island port.
The cargo ship's tender delivered fresh food and water every morning.
Rania stepped into the tender that would carry her to the yacht anchored offshore.
The crew lowered the tender into the water to fetch supplies from the port.
collocation: lower the tender
- tender boat
- ship's tender
- tender port
- cruise tender
- lower the tender
Usage Note
Most commonly used in the cruise industry — a 'tender port' is a destination where the ship cannot dock directly, so passengers go ashore by tender boat.
6. a narrow strip of chicken breast, breaded and deep-fried until golden, often sol
a narrow strip of chicken breast, breaded and deep-fried until golden, often sold as a snack or part of a meal.
The kids ordered chicken tenders with french fries for lunch.
collocation: chicken tenders
Sofia dipped her chicken tender into the honey mustard sauce.
The restaurant serves crispy chicken tenders with three kinds of dipping sauce.
collocation: crispy chicken tenders
Brian made homemade chicken tenders using breadcrumbs and spices.
- chicken tenders
- crispy chicken tenders
- homemade tenders
- tenders with sauce
- chicken strip
less common term for the same food item
- chicken finger
another name; sometimes used for larger strips
Usage Note
Almost always used in the plural 'tenders' or the compound 'chicken tenders'. The singular 'chicken tender' is possible but less common. Not the same as 'chicken nuggets', which are smaller and not necessarily strips of breast meat.
Common Mistakes
tender — verb
1. to make a formal, written offer to do a job or provide services at a particular
to make a formal, written offer to do a job or provide services at a particular price — usually competing against other companies for a contract.
Three companies tendered for the contract to build the new bridge.
pattern: tender for + contract
Liang's firm tendered two million dollars for the road construction project.
pattern: tender + amount + for + project
The deadline to tender for the school extension is next Friday.
Several local builders have decided to tender for the hospital renovation.
- tender for a contract
- tender for work
- tender a bid
- tender a price
Grammar Patterns
tender for [something]
tender [price] for [job]
Usage Note
Intransitive (tender for + work/contract) is the most common pattern. Transitive (tender a price) is possible but less frequent. Used almost exclusively in business and government contracting contexts.
Common Mistakes
2. to formally propose purchasing company stock at a stated price, especially durin
to formally propose purchasing company stock at a stated price, especially during a takeover or share sale.
The investment group tendered fifty-five dollars per share for the company.
pattern: tender + price + per share
Shareholders who wish to sell may tender their shares at the offered price.
collocation: tender one's shares
A large bank has tendered for a significant portion of the tech startup's stock.
Christopher decided not to tender his shares, hoping the price would rise.
- tender shares
- tender for stock
- tender an offer
- tender at price
- offer
general term; 'tender' specifically implies a formal, written offer in a competitive context
Grammar Patterns
tender [shares] at [price]
tender for [shares]
Usage Note
In finance, 'tender' often works like 'accept a tender offer' — shareholders tender their shares (offer them for sale) to the buyer. The verb can describe either the buyer's offer or the seller's acceptance.
3. to give, present, or offer something in a formal or official way — for example,
to give, present, or offer something in a formal or official way — for example, tendering your resignation, an apology, or a payment.
The manager tendered her resignation after fifteen years with the company.
collocation: tender one's resignation
Ishaan tendered a sincere apology for the mistake during the meeting.
collocation: tender an apology
The ambassador tendered his thanks to the host country for their warm welcome.
collocation: tender thanks
The contractor tendered payment for the materials that had been delivered.
- tender one's resignation
- tender an apology
- tender thanks
- tender payment
- withdraw
to take back something formally offered
Grammar Patterns
tender [something] to [someone]
tender [something]
Usage Note
Very formal — used in official, professional, or diplomatic contexts. Common fixed collocations: 'tender your resignation' (formal way to quit a job), 'tender an apology', 'tender thanks'. Cannot be used for informal giving (gifts, everyday favors).
Common Mistakes
Word family
- tenderlyadverbB2
- tendernessnounB2
- tenderizeverbC1
- tenderizernounC1
- untenderadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
These four words all describe positive, caring behavior, but each has a distinct focus. 'Tender' emphasizes softness and delicacy in specific actions — a tender hug, a tender kiss, tender words. 'Affectionate' describes a person's general tendency to show love through physical or verbal warmth; someone can be an affectionate person, but not typically a 'tender' person as a fixed trait. 'Gentle' is broader and does not require emotional warmth — a gentle touch could be purely practical (a gentle hand on a patient's shoulder). 'Loving' carries the strongest emotional bond and is used for relationships and ongoing feelings, not just actions. For example, a parent can be a loving father (relationship) and also give a tender hug (specific action). If you mean a person's overall character, choose 'gentle' or 'affectionate'; if describing a single caring act, 'tender' is best.
Common collocations
Nouns
- tender age
- tender spot
- tender area
- tender moment
- tender offer
Adverbs
- very tender
- quite tender
- still tender
- surprisingly tender
- incredibly tender
Phrases
- at a tender age
- put out to tender
- tender and juicy
- tender to the touch
Prepositions
- tender for
- tender to
- tender with
Etymology
The word 'tender' comes from Old French 'tendre', meaning soft, delicate, or young. This French word came from Latin 'tener', which also meant soft or delicate. The business and financial meanings (to make a formal offer) developed later in English from the idea of 'extending' or 'stretching out' an offer — related to the same Latin root via a different path. By the 16th century, 'tender' was used in legal and commercial contexts for formally offering payment or services. The food sense (tender meat) and the emotion sense (tender feelings) both stayed close to the original Latin idea of softness and delicacy.