- (General American) IPA(key): /ˈtɛn.dɚ.nɪs/
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈtɛn.də.nɪs/
Audio (US) (file)
- Hyphenation: ten‧der‧ness
- a tendency to express warm, compassionate feelings
- When the lovers were together, their cold indifference gave way to love and tenderness.
- Charlotte Brontë, Villette
- I had known him jealous, suspicious; I had seen about him certain tendernesses, fitfulnesses—a softness which came like a warm air, and a ruth which passed like early dew, dried in the heat of his irritabilities: this was all I had seen.
- concern for the feelings or welfare of others
- When they saw the poor orphans, they were overwhelmed with tenderness for them.
- pain or discomfort when an affected area is touched
- He noted her extreme tenderness when he touched the bruise on her thigh.
a tendency to express warm, compassionate feelings
concern for the feelings or welfare of others