Synonyms for tenderness
ten·der·ness

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. tenderness

   An attachment is a feeling that binds a person by ties of heart to another person or thing; we speak of a man's adherence to his purpose, his adhesion to his party, or to anything to which he clings tenaciously, tho with no special tenderness; of his attachment to his church, to the old homestead, or to any persons or objects that he may hold dear. Affection expresses more warmth of feeling; we should not speak of a mother's attachment to her babe, but of her affection or of her devotion. Inclination expresses simply a tendency, which may be good or bad, yielded to or overcome; as, an inclination to study; an inclination to drink. Regard is more distant than affection or attachment, but closer and warmer than esteem; we speak of high esteem, kind regard. Compare ACQUAINTANCE; APPENDAGE; FRIENDSHIP; LOVE; UNION.

   Synonyms:
   adherence, adhesion, affection, attachment, devotion, esteem, esteem, estimation, friendship, inclination, love, regard, union

   Antonyms:
   alienation, animosity, antipathy, aversion, coolness, dislike, distance, divorce, enmity, estrangement, indifference, opposition, repugnance, separation, severance

   Preposition:
   Attachment of a true man to his friends; attachment to a leader for his nobility of character; the attachments between two persons or things; attachment by muscular fibers, or by a rope, etc.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. tenderness

   Synonyms:
   delicacy, softness, kindness, sensibility, pity, benevolence, humanity, clemency, beneficence

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:5.0 / 2 votes

1. tendernessnoun

   a tendency to express warm and affectionate feeling

   Synonyms:
   heart, rawness, warmheartedness, soreness, tenderheartedness, philia, affectionateness, softheartedness, warmness, affection, fondness

2. tenderness, soreness, rawnessnoun

   a pain that is felt (as when the area is touched)

   "the best results are generally obtained by inserting the needle into the point of maximum tenderness"; "after taking a cold, rawness of the larynx and trachea come on"

   Synonyms:
   heart, rawness, warmheartedness, soreness, inexperience, tenderheartedness, irritation, philia, incompleteness, affectionateness, softheartedness, warmness, affection, fondness, discomfort

3. tenderness, tenderheartednessnoun

   warm compassionate feelings

   Synonyms:
   heart, rawness, warmheartedness, soreness, tenderheartedness, philia, affectionateness, softheartedness, warmness, affection, fondness

4. affection, affectionateness, fondness, tenderness, heart, warmness, warmheartedness, philianoun

   a positive feeling of liking

   "he had trouble expressing the affection he felt"; "the child won everyone's heart"; "the warmness of his welcome made us feel right at home"

   Synonyms:
   affection, rawness, partiality, affectionateness, substance, philia, meat, centre, lovingness, center, core, marrow, sum, nerve, ticker, warmth, fancy, nub, kernel, nitty-gritty, spirit, softheartedness, gist, tenderheartedness, warmness, inwardness, pith, heart, bosom, pump, essence, mettle, warmheartedness, heart and soul, fondness, soreness, spunk, eye, middle

5. softheartedness, tendernessnoun

   a feeling of concern for the welfare of someone (especially someone defenseless)

   Synonyms:
   rawness, heart, soreness, warmheartedness, tenderheartedness, philia, affectionateness, softheartedness, warmness, affection, fondness

Matched Categories

1. • Affectionateness
   • Compassion
   • Concern
   • Pain

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. tendernessnoun

   Synonyms:
   softness, delicacy, want of firmness

2. tendernessnoun

   Synonyms:
   weakness, want of strength, feebleness

3. tendernessnoun

   Synonyms:
   effeminacy, womanly quality

4. tendernessnoun

   Synonyms:
   soreness, sensitiveness

5. tendernessnoun

   Synonyms:
   compassion, kindness, sympathy, affection, pity, love, gentleness, benevolence, leniency, clemency, sensibility, mildness, benignity, humanity, loving-kindness

6. tendernessnoun

   Synonyms:
   pathos

7. tendernessnoun

   Synonyms:
   caution, carefulness

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "tenderness":

   sensitivity, susceptibility, affection, sweetness, sensibility, tender, sensitivities, fondness

How to pronounce tenderness?

How to say tenderness in sign language?

Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use tenderness in a sentence?

1. Marlene Dietrich:

   Without tenderness, a man is uninteresting.

2. Kahlil Gibran:

   Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolutions.

3. Pope Francis:

   Tenderness means to use our eyes to see the other, our ears to hear the other, to listen to the children, the poor, those who are afraid of The Future You, to listen also to the silent cry of our common home, of our sick and polluted Earth. Tenderness means to use our hands and our heart to comfort the other, to take care of those in need.

4. Jane Greer:

   Cuddling and tenderness help maintain the physical connection and intimacy shared between couples—not just when you’re being sexual, as a result, it can be easier to get turned on because there’s always an element of sexual energy being shared through physical touches, therefore leading to a happier relationship overall.

5. Maya Angelou:

   The quality of strength lined with tenderness is an unbeatable combination, as are intelligence and necessity when unblunted by formal education.