tendency

tendency

noun

Definition of TENDENCY

1

an established pattern of behavior <a tendency to drop things> <a tendency to make snap judgments>

Synonyms aptness, proneness, propensity, way

Related Words affinity, aptitude, bent, disposition, inclination, leaning, mind-set, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, turn; custom, habit, pattern, practice (also practise), routine, wont; eccentricity, idiosyncrasy, oddity, peculiarity, quirk, singularity, trick

Near Antonyms averseness, disinclination, dislike, indisposition

2

a prevailing or general movement or inclination <we'll be seeing a tendency for skirt lengths to get shorter this coming season>

Synonyms current, direction, drift, leaning, run, tendency, tide, wind

Related Words curve, downside, shift, swing, turn, turnabout, upside; custom, habit, propensity, tenor, way; countercurrent, countertrend; undercurrent, undertow

3

a habitual attraction to some activity or thing <a youth with a natural tendency toward arts and crafts instead of sports>

Synonyms affection, affinity, aptitude, bent, bias, bone, devices, disposition, genius, habitude, impulse, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, turn

Related Words favor, one-sidedness, partisanship, prejudice; endowment, faculty, flair, genius, gift, knack, talent; addiction, appetite, fancy, fondness, like, liking, preference, taste; forte, speciality, specialty; convention, custom, habit, pattern, practice (also practise), routine, trick, way, wont; eccentricity, idiosyncrasy, kink, oddity, peculiarity, quirk, singularity

Near Antonyms allergy, averseness, aversion, disfavor, disinclination, dislike, disliking, disrelish, distaste; detachment, impartiality, neutrality, objectivity; apathy, disinterestedness, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern