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

The most popular and publicized offering from these ovens was surely the Radar Deep Dish Pie, a sweet treat that many Arkansans remember for its tendency to burn the roof of one's mouth. —Mike Keckhaver), arkansasonline.com, 11 Jan. 2025

At the same time, vendors with a wide customer base are somewhat shielded from competition due to the user adoption effect, which is driven by the tendency of users to resist switching from a familiar interface to an unfamiliar one. —Evgeny Grigul, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025

Hurts would seemingly run less while Love’s elbow injury, at least, shouldn’t affect his tendency to throw off his back foot — a major reason the Packers were swept in four games by the Lions and Vikings. —Vic Tafur, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025

In the business world, there can be a tendency to focus on hard skills — such as running formulas in spreadsheets, conducting data analysis, putting together digital ads and so forth. —Stephanie Dillon, Rolling Stone, 8 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