tendency

noun

ten·​den·​cy ˈten-dən(t)-sē 

plural tendencies

1

a

: a proneness to a particular kind of thought or action

b

: direction or approach toward a place, object, effect, or limit

2

a

: the purposeful trend of something written or said : aim

b

: deliberate but indirect advocacy

Synonyms

• aptness
• proneness
• propensity
• way

Choose the Right Synonym for tendency

tendency, trend, drift, tenor, current mean movement in a particular direction.

tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces

the drift of the population away from large cities

or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

got the drift of her argument

tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

Examples of tendency in a Sentence

The economy has shown a general tendency toward inflation.

a tendency to drop things

Recent Examples on the Web

There is an uncomfortable tendency in tennis to give male coaching teams the credit for their player’s success. —Matthew Futterman, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025

While many artists of her generation were fascinated by similar themes, her work has repeatedly proven difficult to classify, conforming to no single movement or tendency. —Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 22 Jan. 2025

So while the outcry over the severity of McDavid’s suspension may seem excessive to hockey fans outside Oil Country, the numbers suggest that the faithful do have a legitimate grievance about the officials’ tendency to look the other way. —Carol Schram, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025

There is a long-standing tendency in the United States for one-term presidents—Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush—to be written off as flops, even if some of their policy achievements turn out to be consequential. —John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin tendentia, noun derivative of Latin tendent-, tendens, present participle of tendere "to extend outward, stretch, spread out, direct (one's course), aim (at a purpose)" (Medieval Latin, "to lead toward, move in a particular direction") — more at tender entry 3

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing tendency

• central tendency
• counter-tendency

Kids Definition

tendency

noun

ten·​den·​cy ˈten-dən-sē 

plural tendencies

1

: a direction or approach toward a place, object, result, or limit

2

: a leaning toward a particular kind of thought or action