penchant

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun penchant contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of penchant are leaning, proclivity, and propensity. While all these words mean "a strong instinct or liking for something," penchant implies a strongly marked taste in the person or an irresistible attraction in the object.

a penchant for taking risks

When might leaning be a better fit than penchant?

The meanings of leaning and penchant largely overlap; however, leaning suggests a liking or attraction not strong enough to be decisive or uncontrollable.

a student with artistic leanings

When would proclivity be a good substitute for penchant?

The synonyms proclivity and penchant are sometimes interchangeable, but proclivity suggests a strong natural proneness usually to something objectionable or evil.

a proclivity for violence

Where would propensity be a reasonable alternative to penchant?

The words propensity and penchant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, propensity implies a deeply ingrained and usually irresistible inclination.

a propensity to offer advice

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 penchant In his college years, Daniels had a penchant for scrambling out of the pocket and putting his rushing ability to good use, exposing himself to big hits in the open field from defenders in the process. Sam Joseph, CNN, 20 Jan. 2025 But for a team that is 8-10 on the road this season, and one that has shown a penchant to play down to lesser teams, the next three weeks will provide a real test. Eric Nehm, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025 Moreover, Trump’s penchant for degrading the reputation of those around him will likely frustrate efforts by Vance to re-elevate his office. Roy Brownell, Baltimore Sun, 18 Jan. 2025 Yet the decision to flee from a traumatic event in which another human being has lost their life is likely rooted more in psychology than a driver’s penchant to kill. Ryan Lillis, Sacramento Bee, 17 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for penchant 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for penchant
Noun
  • 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
Noun
  • Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman became the first Black coach to reach the championship game, an overdue development reflective of circumstances, opportunity and Freeman’s own aptitude.
    Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2025
  • This soldier’s already showing plenty of aptitude for the spy lifestyle.
    Andy Andersen, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • While the natural inclination may be to retreat into silos, to focus on what is within our immediate control, or to compete for limited resources, the challenges of the Intelligent Age cannot be solved in isolation.
    Klaus Schwab, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
  • But Evans argues that, to the contrary, few Germans truly shared such inclinations.
    Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The combination of IoT and AI enables connected devices to collect, analyze and act on data in real-time.
    Rahul Saluja, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
  • Just in time for Christmas, certain members of Congress are hard at work in their policy shops, fashioning a massive lump of cybersecurity coal with which to gift American users of electronic devices.
    David Williams, National Review, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Americans' nuanced attitudes toward birthright citizenship Trump won the presidency thanks in part to voters' affinity to Trump's more restrictionist views on immigration, which loomed pretty consistently as the second-most salient issue in the 2024 election after the economy.
    Geoffrey Skelley, ABC News, 23 Jan. 2025
  • United fans have long had an affinity for Argentine players, dating back to the treatment of David Beckham upon his return from the 1998 World Cup, drawn from an antipathy towards England’s national team among the club’s match-going support.
    Mark Critchley, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Cecile had a knack for turning attacks into opportunities.
    Ilyse Hogue, TIME, 21 Jan. 2025
  • He’s got a knack for hitting holes in the net, frequently beating goalies low-blocker and five-hole.
    Scott Wheeler, The Athletic, 19 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near penchant

Cite this Entry

“Penchant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/penchant. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on penchant

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