Present vs. Attend — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 27, 2023
Present means to give or show something, while attend refers to being present at an event or location.
Difference Between Present and Attend
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Present is a versatile word often used when giving, showing, or introducing something or someone. It implies an action of offering or displaying. Attend, on the other hand, is primarily about being present at a place or event. It involves participation or presence, whether physically or mentally.
When you present something, you are actively providing or demonstrating it. This could be presenting a gift, a report, or even introducing a person. Conversely, attending something means you are there, participating or observing. You attend a meeting, a concert, or a class, indicating your presence there.
Present can also imply a state of being available or at hand. In this sense, it’s about something being current or immediate. When you attend to something, you are giving your attention or care to it. So, while present is about offering or the state of being available, attend is about being at a place or focusing attention.
Using present in a sentence often indicates an action of offering or introduction, like "He presented his findings to the committee." Using attend suggests being at an event or paying attention, like "She will attend the seminar next week."
The distinction between present and attend lies in the nature of engagement. Present is an act of offering or showing, while attend is about being somewhere or giving attention. One denotes an action of giving or showing, and the other emphasizes presence or attention.
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Comparison Chart
Meaning
To give, show, or introduce.
To be present at, participate in, or pay attention to.
Usage
In offering or displaying something.
In being somewhere or participating.
Implication
Active demonstration or offering.
Presence or focus at a place or event.
Sentence Example
"He presented the award."
"She attended the meeting."
Related Terms
Presentation, presenter.
Attendance, attendant.
Compare with Definitions
Present
To show something for consideration.
She presented her project to the class.
Attend
To be physically at an event or place.
He attended the concert.
Present
The present (or here and now) is the time that is associated with the events perceived directly and in the first time, not as a recollection (perceived more than once) or a speculation (predicted, hypothesis, uncertain). It is a period of time between the past and the future, and can vary in meaning from being an instant to a day or longer.
Attend
To go with someone to a place.
He attended her to the gala.
Present
A moment or period in time perceptible as intermediate between past and future; now.
Attend
Be present at (an event, meeting, or function)
Her family were not invited to attend
The whole sales force attended the conference
Present
The present tense.
Attend
Deal with
He muttered that he had business to attend to
Present
A verb form in the present tense.
Attend
Escort and wait on (a member of royalty or other important person)
Her Royal Highness was attended by Mrs Jane Stevens
Present
Presents(Law) The document or instrument in question
Be it known by these presents.
Attend
Occur with or as a result of
People feared that the switch to a peacetime economy would be attended by a severe slump
Present
Pres·ent (prĕzənt) Something presented; a gift.
Attend
To be present at
Attended the lecture.
Present
Pre·sent (prĭ-zĕnt) The position of a rifle or other weapon when presented.
Attend
To go regularly to
Attended class every Tuesday and Thursday.
Present
Existing or happening now; current
The present leader.
Present trends.
Attend
To accompany as a circumstance or follow as a result
The speech was attended by wild applause.
Present
Being at hand or in attendance
Thirty guests were present at the ceremony.
Attend
To take care of (a sick person, for example). ]
Present
Existing in something specified
Oxygen is present in the bloodstream.
Attend
To listen to (something or someone); to pay attention to; regard; heed.
Present
Now being considered; actually here or involved
The present subject.
Present company excepted.
Attend
To listen (to, unto).
Present
(Grammar) Designating a verb tense or form that expresses current time.
Attend
(intransitive) To turn one's consideration (to); to deal with (a task, problem, concern etc.), to look after.
Secretaries attend to correspondence.
Present
(Archaic) Readily available; immediate.
Attend
(ambitransitive) To wait upon as a servant etc.; to accompany to assist (someone).
Valets attend to their employer's wardrobe.
Servants attend the king day and night.
Present
(Obsolete) Alert to circumstances; attentive.
Attend
(transitive) To be present at (an event or place) in order to take part in some action or proceedings; to regularly go to (an event or place).
Children must attend primary school.
Present
To make a gift or award of
Presented the medal to the winner.
Attend
To go to (a place) for some purpose (with at).
Present
To make a gift to
Presented the winner with a medal.
Attend
To be present with; to accompany; to be united or consequent to.
A measure attended with ill effects
Present
To offer for observation, examination, or consideration; show or display
The detective presented his badge.
Attend
To wait for; to await; to remain, abide, or be in store for.
Present
To offer (a play, for example) for public entertainment.
Attend
Alternative form of atend.
Present
To afford or furnish
The situation presented us with a chance to improve our knowledge.
Attend
To direct the attention to; to fix the mind upon; to give heed to; to regard.
The diligent pilot in a dangerous tempest doth not attend the unskillful words of the passenger.
Present
To turn or position in the direction of another
Presented his face to the camera.
Attend
To care for; to look after; to take charge of; to watch over.
Present
(Immunology) To display (an antigen) on the cell surface. Used especially of cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells, where the displayed antigen activates T cells as part of an immune response.
Attend
To go or stay with, as a companion, nurse, or servant; to visit professionally, as a physician; to accompany or follow in order to do service; to escort; to wait on; to serve.
The fifth had charge sick persons to attend.
Attends the emperor in his royal court.
With a sore heart and a gloomy brow, he prepared to attend William thither.
Present
To represent or depict in a certain manner
The movie presents bankers as greedy and coldhearted.
Attend
To be present with; to accompany; to be united or consequent to; as, a measure attended with ill effects.
What cares must then attend the toiling swain.
Present
To introduce, especially with formal ceremony.
Attend
To be present at; as, to attend church, school, a concert, a business meeting.
Present
To introduce (a young woman) to society with conventional ceremony.
Attend
To wait for; to await; to remain, abide, or be in store for.
The state that attends all men after this.
Three days I promised to attend my doom.
Present
To hold, carry, or point (a weapon) in a particular manner as a salutation or sign of honor, usually along the center axis of the body.
Attend
To apply the mind, or pay attention, with a view to perceive, understand, or comply; to pay regard; to heed; to listen; - usually followed by to.
Attend to the voice of my supplications.
Man can not at the same time attend to two objects.
Present
(Ecclesiastical) To recommend (a cleric) for a benefice.
Attend
To accompany or be present or near at hand, in pursuance of duty; to be ready for service; to wait or be in waiting; - often followed by on or upon.
He was required to attend upon the committee.
Present
To make a presentation.
Attend
With to) To take charge of; to look after; as, to attend to a matter of business.
Present
To be evident or manifest. Used of a disease or condition
How Lyme disease presents in its later stages.
Attend
To wait; to stay; to delay.
For this perfection she must yet attend,Till to her Maker she espoused be.
Present
To exhibit symptoms or signs during a medical examination
The patient presented with headache and heel pain.
Attend
Be present at (meetings, church services, university), etc.;
She attends class regularly
I rarely attend services at my church
Did you go to the meeting?
Present
Relating to now, for the time being; current.
The barbaric practice continues to the present day.
The present manager has been here longer than the last one.
Up to the present day.
The present manager has been here longer than the last one.
Up to the present day.
Attend
Take charge of or deal with;
Could you see about lunch?
I must attend to this matter
She took care of this business
Present
Located in the immediate vicinity.
Is there a doctor present?
Several people were present when the event took place.
Attend
To accompany as a circumstance or follow as a result;
Menuhin's playing was attended by a 15-minute standing ovation
Present
(obsolete) Having an immediate effect (of a medicine, poison etc.); fast-acting.
Attend
Work for or be a servant to;
May I serve you?
She attends the old lady in the wheelchair
Can you wait on our table, please?
Is a salesperson assisting you?
The minister served the King for many years
Present
(obsolete) Not delayed; immediate; instant.
Attend
Give heed (to);
The children in the audience attended the recital quietly
She hung on his every word
They attended to everything he said
Present
(dated) Ready; quick in emergency.
A present wit
Attend
To take part in an event or activity.
They attended the workshop.
Present
(obsolete) Favorably attentive; propitious.
Attend
To listen or give attention to.
She attended carefully to the instructions.
Present
Relating to something a person is referring to in the very context, with a deictic use similar to the demonstrative adjective this.
In the present study,
The present article,
The present results.
Attend
To look after or care for.
Nurses attend to patients.
Present
Attentive; alert; focused.
Sorry, I was distracted just now, I'll try to be more present from now on.
Present
The current moment or period of time.
Present
(grammar) The present tense.
Present
A gift, especially one given for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, or any other special occasions.
Present
(military) The position of a soldier in presenting arms.
To stand at present
Present
To bring (someone) into the presence of (a person); to introduce formally.
To present an envoy to the king
Present
(transitive) To nominate (a member of the clergy) for an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution.
Present
(transitive) To offer (a problem, complaint) to a court or other authority for consideration.
Present
To charge (a person) with a crime or accusation; to bring before court.
Present
(reflexive) To come forward, appear in a particular place or before a particular person, especially formally.
Present
(transitive) To put (something) forward in order for it to be seen; to show, exhibit.
Present
(transitive) To make clear to one's mind or intelligence; to put forward for consideration.
Present
(transitive) To put on, stage (a play etc.).
The theater is proud to present the Fearless Fliers.
Present
To point (a firearm) at something, to hold (a weapon) in a position ready to fire.
Present
(reflexive) To offer oneself for mental consideration; to occur to the mind.
Well, one idea does present itself.
Present
To come to the attention of medical staff, especially with a specific symptom.
The patient presented with insomnia.
Present
To appear (in a specific way) for delivery (of a fetus); to appear first at the mouth of the uterus during childbirth.
Present
To appear or represent oneself (as having a certain gender).
At that time, Elbe was presenting as a man.
Present
(transitive) To act as presenter on (a radio, television programme etc.).
Present
(transitive) To give a gift or presentation to (someone).
She was presented with an honorary degree for her services to entertainment.
Present
(transitive) To give (a gift or presentation) to someone; to bestow.
Present
(transitive) To deliver (something abstract) as though as a gift; to offer.
I presented my compliments to Lady Featherstoneshaw.
Present
(transitive) To hand over (a bill etc.) to be paid.
Present
To display one's female genitalia in a way that signals to others that one is ready for copulation. Also referred to as lordosis behaviour.
Present
(fandom slang) In omegaverse fiction, to have one's secondary sex (alpha, omega, or beta) become apparent, typically at puberty.
Present
Being at hand, within reach or call, within certain contemplated limits; - opposed to absent.
These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.
Present
Now existing, or in process; begun but not ended; now in view, or under consideration; being at this time; not past or future; as, the present session of Congress; the present state of affairs; the present instance.
I'll bring thee to the present business
Present
Not delayed; immediate; instant; coincident.
An ambassador . . . desires a present audience.
Present
Ready; quick in emergency; as a present wit.
Present
Favorably attentive; propitious.
To find a god so present to my prayer.
Present
Present time; the time being; time in progress now, or at the moment contemplated; as, at this present.
Past and present, wound in one.
Present
Present letters or instrument, as a deed of conveyance, a lease, letter of attorney, or other writing; as in the phrase, " Know all men by these presents," that is, by the writing itself, " per has literas praesentes; " - in this sense, rarely used in the singular.
Present
A present tense, or the form of the verb denoting the present tense.
Present
Anything presented or given; a gift; a donative; as, a Christmas present.
Present
The position of a soldier in presenting arms; as, to stand at present.
Present
To bring or introduce into the presence of some one, especially of a superior; to introduce formally; to offer for acquaintance; as, to present an envoy to the king; (with the reciprocal pronoun) to come into the presence of a superior.
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the lord.
Present
To exhibit or offer to view or notice; to lay before one's perception or cognizance; to set forth; to present a fine appearance.
Lectorides's memory is ever . . . presenting him with the thoughts of other persons.
Present
To pass over, esp. in a ceremonious manner; to give in charge or possession; to deliver; to make over.
So ladies in romance assist their knight,Present the spear, and arm him for the fight.
Present
To make a gift of; to bestow; to give, generally in a formal or ceremonious manner; to grant; to confer.
My last, least offering, I present thee now.
Present
Hence: To endow; to bestow a gift upon; to favor, as with a donation; also, to court by gifts.
Octavia presented the poet for him admirable elegy on her son Marcellus.
Present
To present; to personate.
Present
To nominate to an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution.
The patron of a church may present his clerk to a parsonage or vicarage; that is, may offer him to the bishop of the diocese to be instituted.
Present
To nominate for support at a public school or other institution .
Present
To appear at the mouth of the uterus so as to be perceptible to the finger in vaginal examination; - said of a part of an infant during labor.
Present
The period of time that is happening now; any continuous stretch of time including the moment of speech;
That is enough for the present
He lives in the present with no thought of tomorrow
Present
Something presented as a gift;
His tie was a present from his wife
Present
A verb tense that expresses actions or states at the time of speaking
Present
Show or demonstrate something to an interested audience;
She shows her dogs frequently
We will demo the new software in Washington
Present
Bring forward and present to the mind;
We presented the arguments to him
We cannot represent this knowledge to our formal reason
Present
Perform (a play), especially on a stage;
We are going to stage `Othello'
Present
Hand over formally
Present
Introduce;
This poses an interesting question
Present
Give, especially as a reward;
Bestow honors and prizes at graduation
Present
Give as a present; make a gift of;
What will you give her for her birthday?
Present
Deliver (a speech, oration, or idea);
The commencement speaker presented a forceful speech that impressed the students
Present
Cause to come to know personally;
Permit me to acquaint you with my son
Introduce the new neighbors to the community
Present
Represent in a painting, drawing, sculpture, or verbally;
The father is portrayed as a good-looking man in this painting
Present
Present somebody with something, usually to accuse or criticize;
We confronted him with the evidence
He was faced with all the evidence and could no longer deny his actions
An enormous dilemma faces us
Present
Formally present a debutante, a representative of a country, etc.
Present
Recognize with a gesture prescribed by a miltary regulation; assume a prescribed position;
When the officers show up, the soldiers have to salute
Present
Temporal sense; intermediate between past and future; now existing or happening or in consideration;
The present leader
Articles for present use
The present topic
The present system
Present observations
Time past
His youth is past
This past Thursday
The past year
Present
Spatial sense; being or existing in a specified place;
The murderer is present in this room
Present at the wedding
Present at the creation
Present
To give something to someone.
He presented a bouquet to her.
Present
To formally introduce a person.
The host presented the guest speaker.
Present
To be in a specific condition or state.
The opportunity was present to take.
Present
Pertaining to the current time.
We live in the present moment.
Common Curiosities
Can present be used as a noun?
Yes, it can refer to a gift or the current time.
Does present imply ownership?
It can, especially when giving something as a gift.
Is attending always active?
Generally, it implies active participation or presence.
Can animals attend events?
In a manner of speaking, yes, if they are present there.
Does present have multiple meanings?
Yes, it can mean to offer, show, introduce, or the current time.
Is attending a duty?
It can be, as in attending a mandatory event.
Is presenting always formal?
Not necessarily; it can be informal as well.
Can you attend something virtually?
Yes, attending can happen in virtual settings.
Can present be a state of being?
Yes, as in being present or available.
Does present imply a reaction?
It can, especially when something is shown or given.
Does attend always mean physical presence?
Primarily, but it can also mean giving attention.
Can someone attend to a task?
Yes, meaning they are giving attention or care to it.
Can present be a verb and a noun?
Yes, it serves as both in different contexts.
Is attending a meeting the same as participating?
It usually implies participation, but one can also attend without actively participating.
Can present be an adjective?
Yes, as in "present circumstances."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
