inclination

noun in·cli·na·tion \ ˌin-klə-ˈnā-shən , ˌiŋ- \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Examples: inclination in a Sentence

Definition of inclination

1 a obsolete : natural disposition : character

b : a particular disposition of mind or character : propensity; especially : liking

had little inclination for housekeeping

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

a : bow, nod

b : a tilting of something

3 a : 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

4 : a tendency to a particular aspect, state, character, or action

the clutch has an inclination to slip

—

inclinational

play \ˌin-klə-ˈnā-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl, ˌiŋ-\ adjective

See inclination defined for English-language learners

See inclination defined for kids

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 of inclination from the Web

Some of India’s media have venal inclinations, making them prone to bribery by those who want to use them to get their message across.

— The Economist, "People in India often despair of their democracy," 31 May 2018
What’s more, Batygin and Brown also predicted that over time, Planet Nine’s gravity would push these Kuiper belt objects out of their current plane and into ever-higher orbital inclinations.

— shannon hall, WIRED, "A New World’s Extraordinary Orbit Points to Planet Nine," 20 May 2018
That was first inclination Baker would climb very high.

— mary kay cabot, cleveland.com, "Baker Mayfield was the top QB for at least half a dozen teams besides the Browns, sources say," 30 Apr. 2018
Gorgeous melodies and harmonies, dusty acoustic instrumentation and an inclination for breaking into a jam all mark this ever-rising trio.

— justin jacobs, Indianapolis Star, "‘Eva’ premiere, Brett Eldredge show among top things to do in Indianapolis this April," 4 Apr. 2018
Brown laughs when asked what sauce would help most in the fight against the depressive inclinations of 2018.

— noor brara, Vogue, "Pasta-Making for Peace of Mind," 17 May 2018
Lethal Weapon saw Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) struggling with suicidal thoughts and an inclination towards self-harm.

— richard newby, The Hollywood Reporter, "Is 'Predator' Finally Getting a Worthy Sequel?," 13 May 2018
The basic design for the new aircraft carrier is clearly modeled heavily on the Liaoning, including the signature ski-jump inclination at the front from which aircraft lift off.

— ben westcott and brad lendon, CNN, "China's first homegrown aircraft carrier heads out for sea trial," 12 May 2018
That uncertainty might reinforce Brown's inclination to save rather than spend.

— adam ashton, sacbee, "California's budget surplus is billions bigger than expected. Will Jerry Brown spend it? | The Sacramento Bee," 11 May 2018

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.

First Known Use of inclination

14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

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inclination Synonyms

Synonyms

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

Near Antonyms

allergy, averseness, aversion, disfavor, disinclination, dislike, disliking, disrelish, distaste;

detachment, impartiality, neutrality, objectivity;

apathy, disinterestedness, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern;

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;

INCLINATION Defined for English Language Learners

inclination

noun

Definition of inclination for English Language Learners

: a feeling of wanting to do something : a tendency to do something
: a slanting surface
: the act of bending your head or body forward : the act of inclining your head or body

INCLINATION Defined for Kids

inclination

noun in·cli·na·tion \ ˌin-klə-ˈnā-shən \

Definition of inclination for Students

1 : an act or the action of bending or leaning

2 : a usually favorable feeling toward something

His inclination was to walk rather than drive.

3 : ²slant, tilt

a steep inclination

Medical Dictionary

inclination

noun in·cli·na·tion \ ˌin-klə-ˈnā-shən, ˌiŋ- \

medical Definition of inclination

: a deviation from the true vertical or horizontal; especially : the deviation of the long axis of a tooth or of the slope of a cusp from the vertical