proclivity
noun
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Have you always had this leaning toward wanting to know about words and their etymologies? Maybe you even have a propensity to use the featured word several times in the course of the day—due, of course, not to a proclivity for pretentiousness, but because you simply have a penchant for using a rich vocabulary. And perhaps you have a predilection for using lots of synonyms, such as proclivity (from clivus, the Latin word for "slope"), referring to a tendency usually toward something bad; propensity, suggesting an often uncontrollable inclination; penchant, meaning an irresistible attraction; and predilection, which describes a strong liking derived from one's temperament.
Examples of proclivity in a Sentence
Brian Steinberg, Variety, 22 Apr. 2025
Trump has shown a proclivity for enacting tariffs — and then suddenly reversing course.
—Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2025
The continuing embracing of players either coming off major injuries - or with a history of maladies - remains among the most perplexing proclivities of this regime.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2025
At one time, my own front yard had turned into a veritable pride-of-Madeira forest thanks to the self-sowing proclivity of this plant.
—Joshua Siskin, Orange County Register, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for proclivity
Cite this Entry
“Proclivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/proclivity. Accessed 19 May. 2025.
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proclivity
noun
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