Present vs. Attend: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on October 5, 2023
"Present" often refers to being in a particular place or the act of introducing something, while "attend" usually means being present at an event or location as a participant or spectator. Both imply being in a location but differ in purpose and involveme
Key Differences
"Present" is a versatile word; it can denote the act of showing, giving, or introducing, and it can also mean being in a specific place. For example, one can present a gift or an idea. When used as a verb, it implies the act of offering or displaying something to others. In contrast, "attend" primarily means to go to or be present at an event, location, or function, usually implying participation or observation. Attendees are those who go to an event, meeting, or class, marking their presence there.
When someone is "present" in a location, it simply denotes their existence in that place, without necessarily specifying their level of participation or engagement. They might be there in a passive role, without active involvement. "Attend," however, often conveys a sense of participation or engagement, suggesting that the person is there for a purpose, whether to learn, watch, or contribute, indicating a level of commitment or intention to the occasion or event.
In terms of grammar, both "present" and "attend" serve as verbs, but they have different connotations and uses. "Present" can be transitive, requiring a direct object, as in presenting an award. It can also be intransitive, focusing on being present in a location. Conversely, "attend" is usually intransitive, often used with prepositions like "to" and "at," focusing on being present at an event or function with a sense of participation or observation.
"Present" also has various meanings and uses apart from indicating location; it can refer to the current time, and it can be a noun denoting a gift. In its multifaceted usage, it covers a range of contexts and situations, making it a flexible word in English. "Attend," while not as versatile, holds significance in contexts involving participation and presence, especially in formal settings like meetings, conferences, and educational sessions, illustrating purposeful presence.
Comparison Chart
Nature
Can be a verb, adjective, or noun.
Primarily a verb.
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Purpose
Denotes being in a place or the act of giving or introducing.
Implies being present with participation or observation.
Usage
Multifaceted, used in various contexts.
More specific to events or functions.
Involvement
Does not necessarily imply participation.
Often implies participation or engagement.
Grammar
Can be transitive or intransitive.
Usually intransitive.
Present and Attend Definitions
Present
To give or award publicly.
They presented him with a trophy.
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Attend
To be present at.
She will attend the conference.
Present
A moment or period in time perceptible as intermediate between past and future; now.
Attend
To go regularly to.
He attends class daily.
Present
The present tense.
Attend
To look after; to take care of.
The nurse attends to the patient.
Present
A verb form in the present tense.
Attend
To be present at
Attended the lecture.
Present
Presents(Law) The document or instrument in question
Be it known by these presents.
Attend
To go regularly to
Attended class every Tuesday and Thursday.
Present
Pres·ent (prĕzənt) Something presented; a gift.
Attend
To accompany as a circumstance or follow as a result
The speech was attended by wild applause.
Present
Pre·sent (prĭ-zĕnt) The position of a rifle or other weapon when presented.
Attend
To take care of (a sick person, for example). ]
Present
Existing or happening now; current
The present leader.
Present trends.
Attend
To listen to (something or someone); to pay attention to; regard; heed.
Present
Being at hand or in attendance
Thirty guests were present at the ceremony.
Attend
To listen (to, unto).
Present
Existing in something specified
Oxygen is present in the bloodstream.
Attend
(intransitive) To turn one's consideration (to); to deal with (a task, problem, concern etc.), to look after.
Secretaries attend to correspondence.
Present
Now being considered; actually here or involved
The present subject.
Present company excepted.
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
(Grammar) Designating a verb tense or form that expresses current time.
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
(Archaic) Readily available; immediate.
Attend
To go to (a place) for some purpose (with at).
Present
(Obsolete) Alert to circumstances; attentive.
Attend
To be present with; to accompany; to be united or consequent to.
A measure attended with ill effects
Present
To make a gift or award of
Presented the medal to the winner.
Attend
To wait for; to await; to remain, abide, or be in store for.
Present
To make a gift to
Presented the winner with a medal.
Attend
Alternative form of atend.
Present
To offer for observation, examination, or consideration; show or display
The detective presented his badge.
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 offer (a play, for example) for public entertainment.
Attend
To care for; to look after; to take charge of; to watch over.
Present
To afford or furnish
The situation presented us with a chance to improve our knowledge.
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 turn or position in the direction of another
Presented his face to the camera.
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
(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 be present at; as, to attend church, school, a concert, a business meeting.
Present
To represent or depict in a certain manner
The movie presents bankers as greedy and coldhearted.
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 introduce, especially with formal ceremony.
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
To introduce (a young woman) to society with conventional ceremony.
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 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
With to) To take charge of; to look after; as, to attend to a matter of business.
Present
(Ecclesiastical) To recommend (a cleric) for a benefice.
Attend
To wait; to stay; to delay.
For this perfection she must yet attend,Till to her Maker she espoused be.
Present
To make a presentation.
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
To be evident or manifest. Used of a disease or condition
How Lyme disease presents in its later stages.
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
To exhibit symptoms or signs during a medical examination
The patient presented with headache and heel pain.
Attend
To accompany as a circumstance or follow as a result;
Menuhin's playing was attended by a 15-minute standing ovation
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
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
Located in the immediate vicinity.
Is there a doctor present?
Several people were present when the event took place.
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
(obsolete) Having an immediate effect (of a medicine, poison etc.); fast-acting.
Attend
To accompany or escort.
The butler attended the lady.
Present
(obsolete) Not delayed; immediate; instant.
Attend
To pay attention to.
You should attend to his advice.
Present
(dated) Ready; quick in emergency.
A present wit
Present
(obsolete) Favorably attentive; propitious.
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.
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 introduce formally or officially.
I present to you our guest speaker.
Present
To be in a certain place.
She was present at the meeting.
Present
To offer for consideration or action.
The lawyer will present new evidence.
Present
Existing or occurring now.
We live in the present moment.
FAQs
Does "attend" imply participation?
Yes, "attend" often implies participation or observation at an event or function.
Can "present" also mean to introduce something?
Yes, "present" can mean to introduce or show something.
Can "attend" also mean to take care of?
Yes, "attend" can mean to take care of, as in attending to a patient.
Does "present" require a direct object?
When used as a verb to mean introducing or giving, "present" usually requires a direct object.
Is "present" a versatile word in English?
Absolutely, "present" has various meanings and can be a verb, adjective, or noun.
Is "attend" only used for events?
Mostly, "attend" refers to being present at events, but it can also mean paying attention or taking care of something.
Can "present" refer to being in a place?
Yes, "present" can denote being in a specific location.
Can "present" be used as a noun?
Yes, "present" can be used as a noun to mean a gift.
Can "present" be used as an adjective?
Yes, "present" can be used as an adjective to describe existing or occurring now.
Does "attend" require a direct object?
"Attend" is usually intransitive and does not require a direct object.
Can "present" refer to the current time?
Yes, "present" can refer to the current time, as in "the present moment."
Does "present" have a formal connotation when introducing someone?
Yes, "present" often has a formal connotation when used to introduce someone officially.
Can "attend" refer to paying attention?
Yes, "attend" can also mean to pay attention to something.
Can "attend" be used to mean accompanying someone?
Yes, "attend" can mean to accompany or escort someone.
Can "attend" mean going regularly to a place?
Yes, "attend" can refer to going regularly to a place like a class or a church.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
