tender

/ˈtɛn.də(ɹ)/

//ˈtɛn.də(ɹ)// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"tender" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tender” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,192 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#6,192
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Sensitive or painful to the touch.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

tender vs tends
67% similar
tender vs tense
67% similar
tender vs tenor
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for tender
PropertyValue
Headwordtender
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈtɛn.də(ɹ)/
Letters6
Frequency rank#6,192
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tender” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). tender lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for tender is 6 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈtɛn.də(ɹ)/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,192 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 12 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for tender, with forms such as "etnder", "tedner", and "tendder". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "tends", "tense", "tenor", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English tender, tendere, from Anglo-Norman tender, Old French tendre, from Latin tener, tenerum (“soft, delicate”). The correct English form is tender, spelled T-E-N-D-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    Sensitive or painful to the touch.
  2. 2
    Easily bruised or injured; not firm or hard; delicate.
  3. 3
    Physically weak; not able to endure hardship.
  4. 4
    Soft and easily chewed.
  5. 5
    Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.
  6. 6
    Fond, loving, gentle, or sweet.
  7. 7
    Young and inexperienced.
  8. 8
    Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; expressive of the softer passions; pathetic.
  9. 9
    Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate.
  10. 10
    Heeling over too easily when under sail; said of a vessel.
  11. 11
    Exciting kind concern; dear; precious.
  12. 12
    Careful to keep inviolate, or not to injure; used with of.

Etymology

From Middle English tender, tendere, from Anglo-Norman tender, Old French tendre, from Latin tener, tenerum (“soft, delicate”).

Synonyms

nesh

This word in other languages

tierno(Español)tendre(Français)zart(Deutsch)terno(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: etnder,tedner,tendder,tenderr,tendre,tenedr,tennder,tneder,ttender

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of tender - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

etnder2tedner2tendder1tenderr1tendre2tenedr2tennder1tneder2
Edit distance from "tender"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "tender"?
"tender" is spelled T-E-N-D-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈtɛn.də(ɹ)/.
What does "tender" mean?
As an adjective, "tender" means: Sensitive or painful to the touch.
What words are commonly confused with "tender"?
"tender" is commonly confused with "tends", "tense", "tenor". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "tender"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tender" is /ˈtɛn.də(ɹ)/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "tender"?
From Middle English tender, tendere, from Anglo-Norman tender, Old French tendre, from Latin tener, tenerum (“soft, delicate”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “tender”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-E-N-D-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈtɛn.də(ɹ)/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “tends” - see the side-by-side comparison. tender vs tends
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list