trend 1 of 2

noun

ˈtrend How to pronounce trend (audio)
Definition of trendnext
1
as in tide
a prevailing or general movement or inclination according to the survey, there's a growing trend for companies to run their own day-care centers for the benefit of employees

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in craze
a practice or interest that is very popular for a short time still had a coat from the last trend for fake fur, when the material lined everything from boots to coats to bracelets

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

trend

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to tend
to show a liking or proneness (for something) during the winter our school system trends toward canceling school at the drop of a hat—or at least a snowflake

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to curve
to turn away from a straight line or course the river trends east, then west again, forming an oxbow

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of trend are current, drift, tendency, and tenor. While all these words mean "movement in a particular direction," trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

When can current be used instead of trend?

In some situations, the words current and trend are roughly equivalent. However, current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

When is drift a more appropriate choice than trend?

The synonyms drift and trend are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

When might tendency be a better fit than trend?

The words tendency and trend are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

When is it sensible to use tenor instead of trend?

The meanings of tenor and trend largely overlap; however, tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

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 trend
Noun
While Jolie is not one of the trend’s trailblazers, the dress did not feel outside of her wheelhouse. —Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2026 That continued a general upward trend from the last five years. —Natassia Paloma, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
Temperatures will trend even warmer throughout the upcoming workweek, as highs climb to the upper 70s and lower 80s. —Shane Hinton, CBS News, 8 Feb. 2026 Mike Snider is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. —Mike Snider, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trend
  1. tide
  2. craze
  3. tend
  4. curve
  5. direction
  6. latest
  7. lean
  8. tendency
Noun
  • As new arrivals tried to find their footing, a tide of homicides and drug dealing swept in.
    — Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Anything left to mention A 4x4 transfer along a road (and beach, depending on the tide) is the usual way to get there, but the fantasy arrival would be to wade ashore after sailing along the coast on a traditional dhow.
    — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of tide
Noun
  • Chipotle launched a high-protein menu in a bit to appeal to GLP-1 users and Gen Z diners fuelling the protein craze.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Under Erdoğan, Istanbul and the rest of the country has seen a construction craze, with bridges, tunnels, plazas, malls, and roads going up seemingly overnight with little regard to the city’s cultural heritage.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of craze
Verb
  • Those alternate itineraries also tend to be more expensive than those that sail through the Drake.
    — Nathan Diller, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The differences were especially pronounced in the evenings, when cravings tend to peak.
    — Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of tend
Verb
  • The path begins in Siberia, curves around the North Pole past Greenland and Iceland, then crosses Spain before ending in the Mediterranean sunset.
    — Ryan Craggs, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Some of them were curved like a hook.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of curve
Noun
  • Maybe that school of thought will change if the line on the chart below continues to move in an upward direction.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
  • The threat to these businesses came from an unexpected direction.
    — Peyton Forte, Fortune, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of direction
Noun
  • These latests features are designed for enterprises who want to integrate their AI technology with either existing Salesforce data or even their own data.
    — Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The latests deaths included three residents of long-term care facilities in Dallas, as well as a Balch Springs man in his 20s and a Dallas man in his 60s.
    — Dana Branham, Dallas News, 30 Apr. 2020
Definition of latest
Verb
  • Longtime supporters have jumped ship, viewing the LDP as too old-fashioned and center-leaning, and instead flocked to new right-wing parties.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Fischnaller leaned hard on her family, teammates and coaches, as well as her then-boyfriend, now husband, Italian luger Dominik Fischnaller, the two-time Olympic bronze medalist in men’s singles after earning the podium again Sunday in the men’s event.
    — Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of lean
Noun
  • If readers are at all uncertain of his sociopathic tendencies, Heathcliff then hangs his wife’s dog.
    — Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The Turkish experience also speaks to the tendency of diasporas to become politically frozen at the moment of departure from their home countries.
    — Michael Paarlberg, The Conversation, 12 Feb. 2026
Definition of tendency

Browse Nearby Words

trench (on)
trend
trended
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trend. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on trend

Nglish: Translation of trend for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about trend

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