as in tendency
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing
left to her own devices she'd eat at a fast-food restaurant every night of the week
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devices
During the Apollo missions, astronauts used urine collection and transfer devices, as well as plastic bags taped to the buttocks to collect feces.
—
Bymary Kekatos, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Our bill will ban the federal government from buying and operating these devices made in countries that wish us harm.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
In Europe, countries such as Sweden and the Netherlands have already moved to scale back screen-heavy instruction or restrict student devices in school in an effort to de-digitize classrooms.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Rapid developments in computer and Internet technology powered an ever-expanding selection of handheld digital devices such as the Palm Pilot, BlackBerry, iPhone, and iPod.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Check out the photo albums on your devices and organize the photos into albums.
—Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 2 Apr. 2026
These students are building devices to make everyday activities like bathing, playing, and reading more accessible and fun.
—Lauren Crawford, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Designed for modern professionals, this sleek backpack features anti-theft design elements to keep laptops and other devices extra secure.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
Red-light devices are increasingly appearing in dermatology offices, wellness centres, locker rooms and homes.
—Lynne Peeples, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026
Bymary Kekatos, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
Our bill will ban the federal government from buying and operating these devices made in countries that wish us harm.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026
In Europe, countries such as Sweden and the Netherlands have already moved to scale back screen-heavy instruction or restrict student devices in school in an effort to de-digitize classrooms.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Rapid developments in computer and Internet technology powered an ever-expanding selection of handheld digital devices such as the Palm Pilot, BlackBerry, iPhone, and iPod.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
Check out the photo albums on your devices and organize the photos into albums.
—Joy Harden Bradford, AJC.com, 2 Apr. 2026
These students are building devices to make everyday activities like bathing, playing, and reading more accessible and fun.
—Lauren Crawford, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Designed for modern professionals, this sleek backpack features anti-theft design elements to keep laptops and other devices extra secure.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
Red-light devices are increasingly appearing in dermatology offices, wellness centres, locker rooms and homes.
—Lynne Peeples, Scientific American, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devices
Noun
-
When an investigation like Nancy Guthrie’s passes the two-month mark, there’s a tendency to look back and reexamine all assumptions and decisions made in the first few moments.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
3 Apr. 2026
-
New cultivars of Pyrus calleryana were bred to reduce Bradford’s tendency to split in snow or high winds.—
Campbell Vaughn,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Rangers have shown greater aptitude against four-seamers in this six-game sample size to begin the season.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Flutie played beyond his physical abilities partly because of his aptitude.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The 11 satellites on board are flying to a mid-inclination orbit.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The natural inclination, then, might be to try to ridicule the conspiracy believer into feeling enough shame to abandon their belief, but this often only drives them toward it.—
Mike Rothschild,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The concrete structure’s open layout encourages meandering discovery, with works chosen to reveal new affinities and connections across cultures and centuries.—
Leah Ollman,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
His confrontational rhetoric toward allies and international organizations, along with his affinity for authoritarian leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un, has also generated profound distrust.—
Sergio Munoz Bata,
Oc Register,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Expressions of empathy and affection are key in active parenting.—
Taylor Grothe,
Parents,
4 Apr. 2026
-
The Russian ambassador to Libya hung out in my room, as did a Russian kid named Konstantin with an unfortunate stutter and endearing affection for the American rock band Metallica.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Have viewers themselves developed a more expansive understanding of who is entitled to be hurt, and can the network resist the impulse to edit around this friction?—
Shamira Ibrahim,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Be careful of sudden impulses to travel or do something unusual.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Miller’s 1968 play, written during the agonizing days of the Vietnam War, concerns the disposition of the remains of a once-illustrious estate.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Day argues that Iran hawks display a dangerous ideological disposition.—
Jesus Mesa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devices.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devices. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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