Word
attending
Phoneticsat·tend·ing, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈtɛndɪŋ/
UK/ɐtˈɛndɪŋ/
Definitions
01being present
B1 · Intermediate
v. the act of going to or being at an event, like a meeting or a school.
v. the present participle of 'attend', used to describe the act of being present at a scheduled event or institution.
“Attending the weekly meetings is a requirement for all staff members.”
“Attending the conference provided the researchers with a valuable opportunity to network with international colleagues in their field.”
02senior doctor
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Medicine American English
n. a senior doctor in a hospital who supervises other doctors and students.
n. a senior staff physician at a hospital who has completed residency and supervises junior doctors and medical students.
“The attending told the medical students to check the patient's heart rate again.”
“After reviewing the test results, the attending decided to adjust the patient's medication before the morning rounds concluded.”
Usage
Often used as a noun in clinical settings to refer to the person in charge of a patient's care.
Teaching tip
This is the standard term in the US and Canada; the British equivalent is usually 'consultant'.
Synonyms
03accompanying
C2 · Proficiency Formal · Literary
adj. happening at the same time as something else.
adj. occurring as a consequence or accompaniment to something else; concomitant.
“The high fever and attending aches made it impossible for him to work.”
“The rapid expansion of the city brought many attending problems, such as increased traffic and a shortage of affordable housing.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“At first I felt like an impostor, as if I was attending a party I hadn’t been invited to.” “The players had been accused of assaulting the woman, known as EM, in a hotel room in 2018 in London, Ontario, where they had been attending a gala.” “Complaints about soaring prices in the city are nothing new – but recent years have seen increasing concerns about the cost of attending its summer festivals.” “However, the Western, Northern and South Eastern trusts acknowledge that attending appointments close to maternity services in some of their hospitals can be difficult for some women.” Etymology
From attend + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/attending