Standard Lemma guide

tenderize

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈtɛndərʌɪz/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To make (something, especially meat) tender.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

make tender or more tender as by marinating, pounding, or applying a tenderizer

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • tenderize meat

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tender, tenderise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change, alter, modify

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English tender Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English tenderize From tender + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: варя до омекване (varja do omekvane) — make tender
  • Catalan: entendrir — make tender
  • Chinese Mandarin: 嫩化 (nènhuà) — make tender
  • Finnish: mureuttaa — make tender
  • Galician: mazar — make tender
  • Galician: amolecer — make tender
  • Hungarian: puhít — make tender
  • Hungarian: klopfol — make tender
  • Hungarian: kiklopfol — make tender
  • Spanish: ablandar — make tender
  • Swedish: möra — make tender
  • Vietnamese: dần — make tender