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 of attend

• accompany
• escort

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

Also set to attend are Sombr, Tate McCrae, Tessa Thompson, Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union, while speculation continues around the stars in Beyoncé's orbit, including husband Jay-Z, sister Solange and mom Tina Knowles. —Anika Reed, USA Today, 5 May 2026

The superstar has attended the event seven times, wearing Givenchy to five of those carpets. —Dalila Muata, NBC news, 5 May 2026

Chamberlain has attended the Met Gala every year since making her debut in 2021 in custom Louis Vuitton, becoming one of the event’s most consistently discussed younger attendees. —Renan Botelho, Footwear News, 4 May 2026

Orwell has effectively handed studios and filmmakers the core inspiration for a genuinely immersive, widely attended theatrical event, and there’s never been a better time for the industry to take him up on it. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 May 2026

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

Rhymes for attend

• amend
• append
• ascend
• backend
• befriend
• boyfriend
• commend
• compend
• contend
• defend
• depend
• descend

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