tend to

Idioms

Apply one's attention, as in We should tend to our business, which is to teach youngsters . This term uses tend in the sense of “attend.” [1300s]
Be disposed or inclined, as in We tend to believe whatever we are told . This term uses tend in the sense of “have a tendency.” [c. 1600]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That’s especially true in counties where homes tend to be larger, winters are colder or electricity is costly.

From Los Angeles Times

Answers tend to be prefaced with the word 'we' rather than 'me'.

From BBC

Compared with normal tissue, cancer cells tend to be more acidic and contain higher levels of hydrogen peroxide.

From Science Daily

When we talk about eating seasonally, we tend to mean abundance.

From Salon

We do not tend to mean the in-between — the weeks when the carrots pulled from cold storage bend instead of snap, when the last onions sprout pale green shoots from their crowns, when gardeners study the sky with the wary patience of gamblers.

From Salon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023