tendency

noun

ˈten-dən(t)-sē How to pronounce tendency (audio)
Definition of tendencynext
1
as in proneness
an established pattern of behavior a tendency to drop things a tendency to make snap judgments

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in trend
a prevailing or general movement or inclination we'll be seeing a tendency for skirt lengths to get shorter this coming season

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in inclination
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing a youth with a natural tendency toward arts and crafts instead of sports

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word tendency different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of tendency are current, drift, tenor, and trend. While all these words mean "movement in a particular direction," tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

In what contexts can current take the place of tendency?

Although the words current and tendency have much in common, current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

When is it sensible to use drift instead of tendency?

In some situations, the words drift and tendency are roughly equivalent. However, drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces, or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

the drift of the population away from large cities
got the drift of her argument

Where would tenor be a reasonable alternative to tendency?

The synonyms tenor and tendency are sometimes interchangeable, but tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

When can trend be used instead of tendency?

The words trend and tendency can be used in similar contexts, but trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tendency The study is one of the first times scientists have tried to quantify each type of animal tendency, but in doing so, their definitions may have been overly restrictive. —Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 26 Feb. 2025 And both parties, when Congress doesn't do their job, and the White House, have a tendency to try to solve it. —CBS News, 23 Feb. 2025 The two agreed, and once again cited the parenting as the reason for Michelle's tendencies, before moving on to other fan opinions. —Lauren Huff, EW.com, 21 Feb. 2025 Poppies have a tendency to self-sow or naturalize in the garden. —Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 15 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tendency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tendency
  1. trend
  2. inclination
  3. way
  4. tide
  5. aptitude
  6. propensity
  7. direction
  8. devices
Noun
  • Eliminating the Department of Education would worsen this trend by cutting federal funding to the schools that need it most.
    — Judith Browne Dianis, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
  • On top of that, the latest report shows a worrying trend: The market’s momentum leader could be slowing down.
    — Fred Imbert, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of trend
Noun
  • This told them that all coral structures take their shape from individual polyps’ microscopic inclinations.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Feb. 2025
  • His geopolitical inclinations have not changed, and his antidemocratic tendencies have only gotten worse.
    — HAL BRANDS, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Definition of inclination
Noun
  • If all goes according to plan, Super Heavy will nestle into the launch tower's inviting arms once again, and Ship will fly much of the way around Earth before making a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Cincinnati must now find a way to keep all three players happy.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of way
Noun
  • The spiral structure of the cloud is believed to have emerged as a consequence of the Galactic tide—the gravitational influence of the surrounding Milky Way galaxy.
    — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
  • President Donald Trump’s return to the White House has turned the tide in relations, however, as last week saw the first high-level sit-down talks between U.S. and Russian officials in years, looking to lay the groundwork for Ukraine peace talks.
    — Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2025
Definition of tide
Noun
  • His aptitude for pitching, Cotham said, was more advanced than anyone he’s known at that age.
    — Matt Gelb, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck, The Athletic: Gluck took Christopher Bell, citing the upped numbers of Toyotas on the road this year and Bell’s aptitude as an all-around racer.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2025
Definition of aptitude
Noun
  • Adobe is betting on a new generation of creatives’ propensity for doing everything on their phones, so what could make more sense than a Photoshop Mobile app?
    — Michael Muchmore, PCMAG, 25 Feb. 2025
  • His Tritons are 24-4 this season, one of the best mid-major teams in America and a potential Cinderella in the NCAA Tournament because of their sturdy offense (No. 50 in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency rankings) and propensity for turning teams over.
    — CJ Moore, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Definition of propensity
Noun
  • Geography can also give you a nudge in the right direction.
    — Emily Price, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
  • There will also be standard shoulders in each direction between the bridge on First Avenue and the bridge over the West River, according to DOT.
    — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of direction
Noun
  • The combination of IoT and AI enables connected devices to collect, analyze and act on data in real-time.
    — Rahul Saluja, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
  • Just in time for Christmas, certain members of Congress are hard at work in their policy shops, fashioning a massive lump of cybersecurity coal with which to gift American users of electronic devices.
    — David Williams, National Review, 26 Dec. 2024
Definition of devices

Browse Nearby Words

tendency
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tendency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tendency. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on tendency

Nglish: Translation of tendency for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

13 Unusually Long English Words

9 Superb Owl Words

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular Features

See More

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

13 Unusually Long English Words

9 Superb Owl Words
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
girl-pencil-test
Challenging Standardized Test Words Quiz Vol. 3 You’re on your own for the math section.
See All