tendency

noun

ten·​den·​cy ˈten-dən(t)-sē How to pronounce tendency (audio)
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
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As the graph shows below, Bellingham, like most of Real Madrid midfielders, has a tendency to hold on to the ball, whereas Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen midfield is defined by quick and incisive short passes. Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 22 May 2025 Currently, some prescribing physicians are likely unaware if patients have disordered eating tendencies, either because the symptoms slip through the cracks, the patient actively conceals them, or the patient is too embarrassed to bring them up, Wassenaar explained. Elizabeth Yuko, Health, 20 May 2025 Though moderators control questioning during such forums, too, candidates have a tendency to end up chiming in on each other’s answers when seated next to each other. Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 20 May 2025 Zanele, one of the story’s few women, is particularly ill-served by this tendency. Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for tendency

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of tendency was in 1628

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tendency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tendency. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

tendency

noun
ten·​den·​cy ˈten-dən-sē How to pronounce tendency (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on tendency

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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