penchant

noun

pen·​chant ˈpen-chənt 

 especially British  ˈpäⁿ-ˌshäⁿ

: a strong and continued inclination

broadly : liking

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What is the Difference Between penchant, leaning, propensity, And proclivity?

Like its synonyms leaning, propensity, and proclivity, penchant implies a strong instinct or liking for something. But these four words, while similar, are also distinguished by subtle differences. Leaning usually suggests a liking or attraction not strong enough to be decisive or uncontrollable ("a student with artistic leanings"), whereas propensity tends to imply a deeply ingrained and usually irresistible inclination ("a propensity to offer advice"). Proclivity frequently suggests a strong, natural proneness to something objectionable or evil ("a proclivity for violence"). Penchant, a descendant of Latin pendere (meaning "to weigh"), typically implies a strongly marked taste in the person ("a penchant for jazz music") or an irresistible attraction in the object ("a penchant for taking risks").

Synonyms

• affection
• affinity
• aptitude
• bent
• bias
• bone
• devices
• disposition
• genius
• habitude
• impulse
• inclination
• leaning
• partiality
• predilection
• predisposition
• proclivity
• propensity
• tendency
• turn

Choose the Right Synonym for penchant

leaning, propensity, proclivity, penchant mean a strong instinct or liking for something.

leaning suggests a liking or attraction not strong enough to be decisive or uncontrollable.

a student with artistic leanings

propensity implies a deeply ingrained and usually irresistible inclination.

a propensity to offer advice

proclivity suggests a strong natural proneness usually to something objectionable or evil.

a proclivity for violence

penchant implies a strongly marked taste in the person or an irresistible attraction in the object.

a penchant for taking risks

Examples of penchant in a Sentence

Aside from the Catholic penchant for fish on Fridays, there is also the tradition of eating red beans and rice on Monday … —Tom Piazza, Why New Orleans Matters, 2005

Whether manifested in feminine decor or in an approach to teaching that assumes a female penchant for cooperative, or "connected," learning, stereotypical notions of femininity often infect institutions for women and girls. —Wendy Kaminer, Atlantic, April 1998

From both her father and mother she had inherited a penchant for art, literature, philosophy, and music. Already at eighteen she was dreaming of painting, singing, writing poetry, writing books, acting—anything and everything. —Theodore Dreiser, The Titan, 1914

a penchant for sitting by the window and staring moodily off into space

Recent Examples on the Web

The Democratic Party lost the presidency to an unpopular, indisciplined authoritarian with a penchant for rambling incoherently about Hannibal Lecter — again. —Vox Staff, Vox, 6 Nov. 2024

Trump’s first administration, which included two impeachments, was defined by his penchant for smashing norms. —Stephen Engelberg, ProPublica, 6 Nov. 2024

Lustig presents his slasher, told entirely from the perspective of Frank Zito (Joe Spinell), a killer with a penchant for scalping women and conversing with his mannequins, from a gritty, psychological perspective. —Meagan Navarro, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2024

Harris makes appeal to voters tired of Trump The vice president also made a more modulated case by trying to appeal to voters who simply find the former president — and his penchant for constant controversy — exhausting. —Niall Stanage, The Hill, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French, from present participle of pencher to incline, from Vulgar Latin *pendicare, from Latin pendere to weigh

First Known Use

1672, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

penchant

noun

pen·​chant ˈpen-chənt 

: a strong liking