tender (1) — OAT

tender1

adjective

1 he looked a gentle, tender man:

caring, kind, kindly, kindhearted, softhearted, tenderhearted, compassionate, sympathetic, warm, warmhearted, feeling, fatherly, motherly, maternal, gentle, mild, benevolent, generous, giving, humane;

susceptible, vulnerable;

informal touchy-feely.

▷antonyms hard-hearted, callous, unsympathetic.

2 he placed a tender kiss on Fabia's brow:

affectionate, fond, loving, emotional, warm, gentle, soft;

amorous, adoring, amatory;

informal lovey-dovey.

3 tender love songs:

romantic, sentimental, emotional, emotive, touching, moving, poignant, evocative;

British, informal soppy.

4 simmer for 25–30 minutes until the meat is tender:

easily chewed, not tough, chewable, soft, edible, eatable;

succulent, juicy, ripe;

tenderized.

▷antonyms tough, leathery.

5 these flowers are tender:

delicate, easily damaged, fragile, breakable, frail.

▷antonyms hardy.

6 her ankle was swollen and tender:

sore, painful, sensitive, inflamed, raw, red, chafed;

hurting, aching, throbbing, smarting, stinging, burning, irritated, bruised, wounded, injured.

7 at the tender age of fifteen:

young, youthful;

early;

impressionable, inexperienced, immature, unsophisticated, unseasoned, juvenile, callow, green, raw;

informal wet behind the ears.

▷antonyms advanced.

8 the issue of conscription was a particularly tender one:

difficult, delicate, tricky, awkward, problematic, troublesome, ticklish;

controversial, emotive;

informal sticky.

▷antonyms uncontroversial, straightforward.