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

4

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

Examples of attend in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

The department also administers Pell Grants, which help low-income students attend college. —Ivana Saric, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024

Cassidy, 25, attended Payne’s funeral on Wednesday, Nov. 20, arriving with the couple’s friend Damian Hurley. —Rachel Desantis, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024

Lizzie Cundy attends the UK gala screening of 80 for Brady at The Ham Yard Hotel at March 20, 2023. —Meg Walters, Glamour, 20 Nov. 2024

Girls Aloud members Kimberley Walsh and Nicola Roberts attended in support of Cheryl Cole, who shares a 7-year-old son with Payne. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024

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

Kids Definition

attend

verb

at·​tend ə-ˈtend 

1

a

: to pay attention to

attend my words

b

: to give one's attention

attend to business

2

: to go or stay with especially as a companion or servant

attend the sick

3

: to be present with

a cold attended by fever

4

: to go to or be present at especially to take part or observe

attend a party

attend school

5

: to take charge of : look after

a doorman attending the entrance

Medical Definition

attend

transitive verb

at·​tend ə-ˈtend 

: to visit with or care for in a professional capacity

attender noun