inclination

noun

in·cli·na·tion | \ ˌin-klə-ˈnā-shən

, ˌiŋ-\

Definition of inclination

1 : a tendency to a particular aspect, state, character, or action the clutch has an inclination to slip

2a : a deviation from the true vertical or horizontal : slant also : the degree of such deviation

b : an inclined surface : slope

c(1) : the angle determined by two lines or planes

(2) : the angle made by a line with the x-axis measured counterclockwise from the positive direction of that axis

3 : an act or the action of bending or inclining: such as

a : bow, nod

b : a tilting of something

4a : a particular disposition of mind or character : propensity especially : liking had little inclination for housekeeping

b obsolete : natural disposition : character

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Examples of inclination in a Sentence

She shows no inclination to give in to their demands. He's a loner by inclination. My first inclination was to say no, but I finally decided to do what she asked. I have neither the time nor the inclination to learn about such matters.

Recent Examples on the Web

Schrödinger’s first inclination was to suppose that the amplitude of his wave function at some point in space — equivalent to the height of a water wave, say — corresponds to the density of the smeared-out quantum particle at that point. — Quanta Magazine, "Mysterious Quantum Rule Reconstructed From Scratch," 13 Feb. 2019 The sad truth was that, whether on account of time constraints or inclination, Bianca didn’t currently possess any close female friends. — Lucinda Rosenfeld, Harper's magazine, "First Daughters," 10 Feb. 2019 This is true even though the two states have assets for which many others would be thankful: huge populations, natural resources, large businesses, dynamic immigrant communities and a cultural inclination to forge a unique path for themselves. — The Economist, "The futureTexas seems better placed to adapt than California," 22 June 2019 The payloads will fly to a 300km circular orbit, with a 97-degree inclination. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "Firefly opens first Alpha rocket launch to academic and educational payloads," 17 June 2019 But as adults, many of us stray from this natural inclination to keep learning about advancements in science and technology. — National Geographic, "Electrifying places to visit if you love science," 17 June 2019 Andres grew up with these influences and a natural inclination for design. — Ingrid Abramovitch, ELLE Decor, "Inside Snowe’s Takeover of the Millennial Luxury Home Goods Market," 13 June 2019 It will not be directly talked about because Bassani himself was not among the 183, and apparently had no inclination to describe the horror itself. — Tim Parks, Harper's magazine, "Behind the High Walls," 10 Feb. 2019 At the same time Buddhist groups with similarly narrow-minded inclinations have also gained ground. — The Economist, "Sri Lanka responds to Islamist terrorism by terrorising Muslims," 6 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inclination.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.