trend 1 of 2

1
as in tide
a prevailing or general movement or inclination according to the survey, there's a growing trend for companies to run their own day-care centers for the benefit of employees

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2

trend

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to tend
to show a liking or proneness (for something) during the winter our school system trends toward canceling school at the drop of a hat—or at least a snowflake

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to curve
to turn away from a straight line or course the river trends east, then west again, forming an oxbow

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word trend different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of trend are current, drift, tendency, and tenor. While all these words mean "movement in a particular direction," trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

When can current be used instead of trend?

In some situations, the words current and trend are roughly equivalent. However, current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

When is drift a more appropriate choice than trend?

The synonyms drift and trend are sometimes interchangeable, but drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces, or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

the drift of the population away from large cities
got the drift of her argument

When might tendency be a better fit than trend?

The words tendency and trend are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

When is it sensible to use tenor instead of trend?

The meanings of tenor and trend largely overlap; however, tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

Examples 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 trend
Noun
As Michigan’s presidential results slowly came in around 10:30, Hoekstra announced a favorable trend for Trump. Dana Afana, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024 Coffee badging remains popular with 44% of workers still participating in this trend, with 70% admitting they’ve been caught by their employers. Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
The biggest problem for stocks The economic data may be reasonably strong, and inflation may be trending down, but rising bond yields indicate to many that high debt levels are going to be an issue no matter who wins. Bob Pisani, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2024 After several years of down trending, this medical care services stock this year reversed the trend. John Navin, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for trend 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trend
Noun
  • Bey then turned the tide with her own spin on the Baywatch classic — sporting that red-hot, high-cut bathing suit with rescue can and whistle.
    Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Artists who master diverse crafts, hobbies or endeavors are not only surviving the rapidly changing tides of this age but thriving within the entertainment industry.
    Anto Dotcom, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • By 1962, the monster craze of the '50s had blossomed.
    Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 2 Nov. 2024
  • And that's not incorrect — the J-horror craze of the late-'90s and early-2000s, spearheaded by Hideo Nakata's instant classic Ringu (1998), did produce some of the most memorable horror films in Japanese movie history.
    Katie Rife, EW.com, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Keep in mind that bucks and does often bed within the same block, but bucks tend to bed at higher elevations or in areas that are more advantageous.
    Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 14 Nov. 2024
  • Children on the autism spectrum tend to wander, or elope, from home and other safe places at a higher rate than their peers, according to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
    Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Created in collaboration with engineering giant Arup, its curving form has been constructed from two layers of slanted concrete shells that help echo the sound of the waves.
    Adam Williams, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Clustered modular residences, large circular windows and curving rooflines rise above a dry riverbed.
    Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 26 Oct. 2024
Noun
  • Does will come from several directions, converge in the corner, and make their way back into the timber.
    Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024
  • By pairing two drivers to vibrate in opposite directions, the technology allows for bigger sound with fewer distortions.
    Brian Westover, PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • The latests deaths included three residents of long-term care facilities in Dallas, as well as a Balch Springs man in his 20s and a Dallas man in his 60s.
    Dana Branham, Dallas News, 30 Apr. 2020
  • That equates to more than 45 million Americans using CBD products, based on latest available U.S. Census estimates.
    Brendan Bures, chicagotribune.com, 2 Oct. 2019
Verb
  • Their cutbacks on spending forced a reckoning among restaurants, with fast-food brands like McDonald’s leaning into value menus and full-service chains like Red Lobster embarking on ambitious makeovers.
    Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
  • The Diplomat leans even further into its soapy inclinations with its ending.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2024
Noun
  • There was a tendency in the local scene toward one-upmanship in terms of how many cylinders a builder could wedge into these machines, and at some point Whitelock decided to take the idea to its logical conclusion and end the arms race once and for all.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Looking elegantly windblown in a sweater, her mass of hair cascading like the precious garland of some Irish deity, Farrow has a tendency to trail off in conversation.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Trend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trend. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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