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Tenderness

Psychology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Gentle, affectionate sensitivity toward another's vulnerability.

Detailed Definition
Tenderness in poetry softens through caressing rhythm, intimate imagery, and warm address—a hand on a forehead, a whispered name. Poets use it in love lyrics, parent-child poems, and elegies. Tenderness invites vulnerability and connection, often juxtaposed with harshness. It can be poignant and fleeting, and its presence humanizes speakers, making the poem a shelter for fragile emotions and healing.
Example
Example in poetry:
Tenderness in Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "Sonnets from the Portuguese" where tenderness is a theme; In William Wordsworth's poetry, tenderness is a tone; In contemporary poetry, tenderness is often a fragile emotion; In "The Waste Land," tenderness is absent; In confessional poetry, tenderness is often mixed with pain; In dramatic monologues, tenderness reveals vulnerability.
Additional Notes
Tenderness in poetry softens through caressing rhythm, intimate imagery, and warm address—a hand on a forehead, a whispered name—offering gentle, affectionate sensitivity. In teaching, distinguish tenderness from compassion: tenderness is gentle affection, while compassion is active empathy. Poets use it in love lyrics, parent-child poems, and elegies. Tenderness invites vulnerability and connection, often juxtaposed with harshness. Students should examine how poets use intimate imagery, soft diction, and address to convey tenderness's vulnerable, healing warmth.
Other Meanings of “Tenderness”
Also Known As
Affection gentleness compassion kindness softness
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