Passion vs. Tender — What's the Difference?

Intense emotion or enthusiasm.

Compassionate and loving.

An intense interest or devotion.

Requiring careful handling.

Powerful, compelling emotion.

Showing gentleness, kindness, and affection

Strong and barely controllable emotion

(of food) easy to cut or chew; not tough

The suffering and death of Jesus

(of a part of the body) sensitive to pain

Strong or powerful emotion

Young, inexperienced, or vulnerable

A powerful emotion, such as anger or joy

(of a ship) leaning or readily inclined to roll in response to the wind.

A state of strong sexual desire or love

Offer or present (something) formally

The object of such desire or love

An offer to carry out work, supply goods, or buy land, shares, or another asset at a stated fixed price

Boundless enthusiasm

A vehicle used by a fire service for carrying specified supplies or equipment or fulfilling a specified role

The object of such enthusiasm

A dinghy or other boat used to ferry people and supplies to and from a ship.

An abandoned display of emotion, especially of anger

A trailing vehicle closely coupled to a steam locomotive to carry fuel and water.

The sufferings of Jesus in the period following the Last Supper and including the Crucifixion, as related in the New Testament.

A person who looks after someone else or a machine or place

A narrative, musical setting, or pictorial representation of Jesus's sufferings.

Easily crushed or bruised; fragile

Martyrdom

Easily chewed or cut

A true desire sustained or prolonged.

Young and vulnerable

Any great, strong, powerful emotion, especially romantic love or extreme hate.

Frail; delicate.

Fervor, determination.

Sensitive to frost or severe cold; not hardy

An object of passionate or romantic love or strong romantic interest.

Easily hurt; sensitive

Sexual intercourse, especially when very emotional.

Painful; sore

The suffering of Jesus leading up to and during his crucifixion.

Considerate and protective; solicitous

A display, musical composition, or play meant to commemorate the suffering of Jesus.

Characterized by or expressing gentle emotions; loving

(obsolete) Suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress.

Given to sympathy or sentimentality; soft

(obsolete) The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition

(Nautical) Likely to heel easily under sail; crank.

(obsolete) The capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.

To make tender.

(obsolete) An innate attribute, property, or quality of a thing.

To offer formally

(obsolete) Disorder of the mind; madness.

(Law) To offer (payment or performance) pursuant to an obligation.

(obsolete) To suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.

A strip of meat, usually chicken, often breaded, deep-fried, and served with a sauce.

(transitive) To give a passionate character to.

(Law) An offer to pay the amount due under a debt or obligation.

A suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress (as, a cardiac passion); specifically, the suffering of Christ between the time of the last supper and his death, esp. in the garden upon the cross.

A written offer to contract goods or services at a specified cost or rate; a bid.

The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition; - opposed to action.

Something, especially money, offered in payment.

Capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.

One who tends something

The state of the mind when it is powerfully acted upon and influenced by something external to itself; the state of any particular faculty which, under such conditions, becomes extremely sensitive or uncontrollably excited; any emotion or sentiment (specifically, love or anger) in a state of abnormal or controlling activity; an extreme or inordinate desire; also, the capacity or susceptibility of being so affected; as, to be in a passion; the passions of love, hate, jealously, wrath, ambition, avarice, fear, etc.; a passion for war, or for drink; an orator should have passion as well as rhetorical skill.

(Nautical) A vessel attendant on other vessels, especially one that ferries supplies between ship and shore.

Disorder of the mind; madness.

A railroad car attached to the rear of a locomotive and designed to carry fuel and water.

Passion week. See Passion week, below.

Sensitive or painful to the touch.

To give a passionate character to.

Easily bruised or injured; not firm or hard; delicate.

To suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.

Physically weak; not able to endure hardship.

Strong feeling or emotion

(of food) Soft and easily chewed.

Intense passion or emotion

Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.

Something that is desired intensely;

Fond, loving, gentle, or sweet.

An irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action

Young and inexperienced.

A feeling of strong sexual desire

Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; expressive of the softer passions; pathetic.

Any object of warm affection or devotion;

Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate.

The suffering of Jesus at the crucifixion

(nautical) Heeling over too easily when under sail; said of a vessel.

Strong feeling of love or desire.

(obsolete) Exciting kind concern; dear; precious.

Fervor or zeal for a cause.

(obsolete) Careful to keep inviolate, or not to injure; used with of.

(obsolete) Care, kind concern, regard.

The inner flight muscle (pectoralis minor) of poultry.

(obsolete) Someone who tends or waits on someone.

(rail transport) A railroad car towed behind a steam engine to carry fuel and water.

(nautical) A naval ship that functions as a mobile base for other ships.

(nautical) A smaller boat used for transportation between a large ship and the shore.

Anything which is offered, proffered, put forth or bid with the expectation of a response, answer, or reply.

A means of payment such as a check or cheque, cash or credit card.

(legal) A formal offer to buy or sell something.

Any offer or proposal made for acceptance.

Tenderly

To make tender or delicate; to weaken.

(archaic) To feel tenderly towards; to regard fondly or with consideration.

To work on a tender.

(formal) To offer, to give.

To offer a payment, as at sales or auctions.

One who tends; one who takes care of any person or thing; a nurse.

A vessel employed to attend other vessels, to supply them with provisions and other stores, to convey intelligence, or the like.

A car attached to a locomotive, for carrying a supply of fuel and water.

An offer, either of money to pay a debt, or of service to be performed, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture, which would be incurred by nonpayment or nonperformance; as, the tender of rent due, or of the amount of a note, with interest.

Any offer or proposal made for acceptance; as, a tender of a loan, of service, or of friendship; a tender of a bid for a contract.

The thing offered; especially, money offered in payment of an obligation.

Regard; care; kind concern.

To offer in payment or satisfaction of a demand, in order to save a penalty or forfeiture; as, to tender the amount of rent or debt.

To offer in words; to present for acceptance.

To have a care of; to be tender toward; hence, to regard; to esteem; to value.

Easily impressed, broken, bruised, or injured; not firm or hard; delicate; as, tender plants; tender flesh; tender fruit.

Sensible to impression and pain; easily pained.

Physically weak; not hardly or able to endure hardship; immature; effeminate.

Susceptible of the softer passions, as love, compassion, kindness; compassionate; pitiful; anxious for another's good; easily excited to pity, forgiveness, or favor; sympathetic.

Exciting kind concern; dear; precious.

Careful to save inviolate, or not to injure; - with of.

Unwilling to cause pain; gentle; mild.

Adapted to excite feeling or sympathy; expressive of the softer passions; pathetic; as, tender expressions; tender expostulations; a tender strain.

Apt to give pain; causing grief or pain; delicate; as, a tender subject.

Heeling over too easily when under sail; - said of a vessel.

Something used as an official medium of payment

Someone who waits on or tends to or attends to the needs of another

A formal proposal to buy at a specified price

Car attached to a locomotive to carry fuel and water

A boat for communication between ship and shore

Ship that usually provides supplies to other ships

Offer or present for acceptance

Propose a payment;

Make a tender of; in legal settlements

Make tender or more tender as by marinating, pounding, or applying a tenderizer;

Given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality;

Hurting;

Susceptible to physical or emotional injury;

Having or displaying warmth or affection;

Easy to cut or chew;

Physically untoughened;

(used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail

(of plants) not hardy; easily killed by adverse growing condition;

Showing gentleness and concern.

Soft or delicate in texture or appearance.

Easily hurt or sensitive.

Yes, a healthy relationship can have both passionate intensity and tender affection.

Passion involves intense and strong emotions, while tender involves gentleness and softness.

Passion can manifest as fervor and enthusiasm in hobbies, work, or causes one deeply cares about.

Tender implies showing gentleness, care, and compassion towards those being cared for.

No, passion can be positive, driving achievements, but it can also be negative, leading to impulsive actions or conflicts.

Tenderness is crucial in caregiving, parenting, and comforting someone in distress.

Yes, passion often involves a high level of energy and enthusiasm.

Yes, tenderness can be a strength, fostering trust and deep connections.

Passion can drive success by motivating persistence and dedication, but it's not the only factor.

No, being tender is not a sign of weakness; it often requires strength to be gentle and compassionate.

By being gentle, patient, and considerate in interactions and behavior.

Yes, while passion is intense, it can be channeled and managed through self-awareness and discipline.

Passion can drive quick, sometimes impulsive decisions due to strong emotions.

Tender behavior promotes understanding, patience, and a nurturing environment in relationships.

Cultural views can vary, with some cultures valuing passionate expression highly, while others may prioritize gentle and tender behavior.