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 of tendency

• proneness
• way
• propensity

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

Boston’s tendency to ignore federal civil detainer requests due to the Trust Act led to a squabble between ICE and Boston Police last year that centered around a discrepancy in how many detainer requests the respective sides reported for 2024. —Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald, 25 Feb. 2026

Manager Skip Schumaker, who had Burger in Miami for the second half of the 2023 season and all of 2024, is happy with where Burger is at the moment, but is also aware of his tendency to tinker and all the trouble that can cause. —Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026

The production, though, has some issues, some of which flow from a tendency of some in this cast to overplay in this very intimate house, arranged by director Hallie Gordon very intimately. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 24 Feb. 2026

The tendency to look to Mongolia to fill this quota owed as much to that country’s own folk-wrestling traditions as to an abundance of eager young candidates willing to endure years of grueling apprenticeship and language study. —Joshua Hunt, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026

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

Rhymes for tendency

• pendency
• ascendancy
• ascendency
• dependency
• independency
• interdependency
• superintendency

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