adj
Common
attending
uh-TEHN-dihng
Attending (adj) means being present at, or accompanying, an event or situation. Example: “All attending members were asked to sign in.”
adj
1
Being present at, or accompanying, an event or situation.
"All attending members were asked to sign in."
noun
1
A senior doctor on a hospital staff who supervises patient care and training doctors.
"All the new interns had heard of his operative speed, his finesse under the attending's glare, and his memorization of the current surgical literature."
— Harry Lee Kraus, Could I Have This Dance? (2002)
"All too often when taking a history, residents and attendings in a hurry will simply use the cut-and-paste function to save time and bypass asking potentially important questions that have been asked before."
— , Doctor-Patient-Computer Relationships (2009)
"The attending asked the interns to present each patient on the morning round."
"Every night, the attending on call decides which cases need surgery."
"The attending reviewed the resident's diagnosis before signing off."
"She's an attending in gastroenterology at Mass General."
How to use attending
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAs an adjective, being present; as a noun (mainly US hospital slang), the senior supervising physician.
UK vs US
The noun sense ("the attending") is American hospital terminology; British English usually says "consultant."
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Word forms
- Plural
- attendings
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
All _____ members were asked to sign in.
Etymology
Formed from attend and -ing.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for attending
ending
sending
bending
lending
pending
mending
spending
unending
blending
trending
defending
ascending
See all rhymes for attending →
Frequently asked questions
What does “attending” mean?
The word “attending” means being present at, or accompanying, an event or situation. In plain terms, as an adjective, being present; as a noun (mainly US hospital slang), the senior supervising physician.
How do you pronounce “attending”?
“Attending” is pronounced uh-TEHN-dihng (/əˈtɛndɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “attending” in a sentence?
Here is “attending” used in a sentence: “All attending members were asked to sign in.”
What part of speech is “attending”?
Depending on how it is used, “attending” can be an adjective and a noun.
Is “attending” a common word?
“Attending” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “attending” have?
“Attending” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: being present at, or accompanying, an event or situation.
What is the difference between an attending and a resident?
An attending is a senior doctor who has finished training and supervises patient care as well as junior doctors. A resident is a physician still completing supervised postgraduate training, so an attending oversees the residents on a hospital team.
What is the difference between attending and attendant?
Attending is used as an adjective meaning present at an event, or as a noun for a supervising senior doctor. Attendant is a separate word meaning a person who assists or serves others, such as a flight attendant, so the two should not be confused.
Is an attending the same as a consultant in British English?
The roles are broadly equivalent: an attending in American hospitals and a consultant in British hospitals are both senior, fully qualified doctors who lead patient care and supervise trainees. The main difference is regional terminology rather than the level of seniority.
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