tendency

noun

ten·​den·​cy ˈten-dən(t)-sē How to pronounce tendency (audio)
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
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
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.
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 See all Example Sentences for tendency 

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of tendency was in 1628

Dictionary Entries Near tendency

Cite this Entry

“Tendency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tendency. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

tendency

noun
ten·​den·​cy ˈten-dən-sē How to pronounce tendency (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on tendency

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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