attend
verb
at·tend ə-ˈtend 
attended; attending; attends
transitive verb
1
: to be present at : to go to
attend a meeting
attend law school
2
: to pay attention to
attend the warning signs
3
: to look after : to take charge of
… campsites … attended by park rangers.
Jackson Rivers
Jackson Rivers4
a
: to go or stay with as a companion, nurse, or servant
ministers who attend the king
b
: to visit professionally especially as a physician
a doctor attending his patients
5
: to be present with : accompany
6
archaic
a
: to wait for
b
: to be in store for
intransitive verb
1
: to direct one's attention : see —used with to
I'll attend to [=deal with] that myself.
2
: to apply oneself
attend to your work
3
: to apply the mind or pay attention : heed
attend to his advice
4
a
: to be ready for service
ministers who attend upon the king
b
: to be present
How many people attended?
5
obsolete : wait, stay
attender noun
Synonyms
- accompany
- chaperone
- chaperon
- companion
- company
- convoy
- escort
- see
- squire
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
My husband and I will both attend the banquet. How many people attended the baseball game? He won't be attending the conference. How many people will be attending? She attends a school in the city. He'll be attending the university in the fall. I am the first child in my family to attend college. We attend the same church. Each nurse attends 15 patients. A midwife attended the birth. See More
Recent Examples on the Web Boca Helping Hands has invited local children’s charities to attend at no cost for an afternoon of fun and bowling. Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2022 Chinese state entities often invited me to attend nuclear conferences and tour the country—all expenses paid. Paul Dabbar, WSJ, 17 Aug. 2022 Ben first met his favorite hockey team in March, when the Oilers invited him to attend their game against the San Jose Sharks. Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 11 Aug. 2022 The public is invited to attend and bring a dish to pass. Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 11 Aug. 2022 While the parade was limited to badge holding members last year as a COVID-19 precaution, the public is invited to attend the 2022 event. Hunter Boyce, ajc, 9 Aug. 2022 Parents, students and teachers for grades K-12 from San Antonio and the surrounding area are invited to attend the free event from noon to 4 p.m. Tom Orsborn, San Antonio Express-News, 3 Aug. 2022 The public is invited to attend all events at no cost. Sue Kiesewetter, The Enquirer, 29 July 2022 Seniors’ night out: You’re invited to attend the 2022 Middleburg Heights Senior Life Night Out with the Guardians at 7:10 p.m. at Cleveland’s Progressive Field. Rich Heileman, cleveland, 29 July 2022 See More
Gary Curreri, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2022 Chinese state entities often invited me to attend nuclear conferences and tour the country—all expenses paid. Paul Dabbar, WSJ, 17 Aug. 2022 Ben first met his favorite hockey team in March, when the Oilers invited him to attend their game against the San Jose Sharks. Natasha Dye, Peoplemag, 11 Aug. 2022 The public is invited to attend and bring a dish to pass. Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 11 Aug. 2022 While the parade was limited to badge holding members last year as a COVID-19 precaution, the public is invited to attend the 2022 event. Hunter Boyce, ajc, 9 Aug. 2022 Parents, students and teachers for grades K-12 from San Antonio and the surrounding area are invited to attend the free event from noon to 4 p.m. Tom Orsborn, San Antonio Express-News, 3 Aug. 2022 The public is invited to attend all events at no cost. Sue Kiesewetter, The Enquirer, 29 July 2022 Seniors’ night out: You’re invited to attend the 2022 Middleburg Heights Senior Life Night Out with the Guardians at 7:10 p.m. at Cleveland’s Progressive Field. Rich Heileman, cleveland, 29 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French atendre, from Latin attendere, literally, to stretch to, from ad- + tendere to stretch — more at thin
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2
Phrases Containing attend
Kids Definition
attend
verb
at·tend ə-ˈtend
attended; attending
1
: to go to or be present at
attend school
attend a party
2
: to look after : take charge of
The hotel staff attended to my every need.
3
: to direct attention
attend to business
4
: to pay attention to
All the children had been attending … to what Mr. Beaver was telling them … C. S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe
C. S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe5
: to go with especially as a servant or companion
Servants attended the king.
6
: to care for
Nurses attend the sick.
Medical Definition
attend
transitive verb
at·tend ə-ˈtend
: to visit with or care for in a professional capacity
attended 1 of 2
adjective
as in accompanied
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- accompanied
- escorted
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rejected
- lonely
- desolate
- lonesome
- forlorn
- neglected
- deserted
- forgotten
- friendless
- abandoned
- forsaken
- lorn
attended
2 of 2verb
1
as in escorted
to go along with in order to provide assistance, protection, or companionship a passel of assistants attend the movie star wherever she goes Synonyms & Similar Words
- accompanied
- escorted
- chaperoned
- brought
- saw
- convoyed
- squired
- companioned
- walked
- companied
- followed
- guided
- defended
- conducted
- protected
- led
- associated
- guarded
- ushered
- steered
- consorted
- piloted
- tailed
- shadowed
- tagged
- tagged along
- teamed (up)
- palled (around)
- hung (around)
- hovered (over)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- abandoned
- dumped
- deserted
- ditched
- forsook
2
as in listened
to pay attention especially through the act of hearing I'm sorry, but all the noise means I'm having a hard time attending to the conversation Synonyms & Similar Words
- listened
- heard
- heeded
- hearkened
- harkened
- harkened
- harked
- minded
- pricked up one's ears
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ignored
- disregarded
- discounted
- tuned out
3
as in watched
to take charge of especially on behalf of another tired of attending other people's children, the nanny was eager to have a child of her own Synonyms & Similar Words
- watched
- supervised
- oversaw
- managed
- tended
- conducted
- operated
- controlled
- superintended
- saw to
- saw after
- guarded
- looked after
- protected
- minded
- governed
- ran
- guided
- run
- directed
- regulated
- administrated
- shepherded
- babysat
- chaperoned
- took care of
- stewarded
- patrolled
- shielded
- safeguarded
- cared (for)
- babied
- mothered
- presided (over)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- ignored
- abandoned
- disregarded
- neglected
- forgot
- passed over
4
as in coincided
to occur or exist at the same time all the pomp and circumstance that attend the opening of the Olympic Games Synonyms & Similar Words
- accompanied
- coincided
- happened
- coexisted
- transpired
- synchronized
- concurred
- happed
- co-occurred
- chanced
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- preceded
- followed
- succeeded
- predated
- antedated