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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Recent Examples of devices
Looking for more travel-friendly tech devices for your journey?
—
Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2026
Nearby homes were evacuated during the investigation, and the bomb squad hauled out boxes of what were described as consumer-grade pyrotechnic devices, enough to fill more than three box trucks, according to investigators at the scene.
—City News Service, Daily News, 28 May 2026
Forget about essential oils, sonic devices, or other home remedies.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 May 2026
But the mother and Habiba do remain under orders to wear monitoring devices and the family has frequent check-ins with immigration authorities.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Today, billions of devices indirectly rely on the concept.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
The Boise Police Bomb Squad confirmed the devices were explosive; they were secured, taken to a remote location and destroyed.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 28 May 2026
The NeuroMD devices are based on what the company refers to as Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) technology, which targets both motor nerves and sensory nerves.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 28 May 2026
Oura Rings are smart devices that track sleep, stress, activity, heart health and more to provide insight into your personal health.
—Claire Peltier, ABC News, 28 May 2026
Aly Walansky, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2026
Nearby homes were evacuated during the investigation, and the bomb squad hauled out boxes of what were described as consumer-grade pyrotechnic devices, enough to fill more than three box trucks, according to investigators at the scene.
—City News Service, Daily News, 28 May 2026
Forget about essential oils, sonic devices, or other home remedies.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 28 May 2026
But the mother and Habiba do remain under orders to wear monitoring devices and the family has frequent check-ins with immigration authorities.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Today, billions of devices indirectly rely on the concept.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
The Boise Police Bomb Squad confirmed the devices were explosive; they were secured, taken to a remote location and destroyed.
—Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 28 May 2026
The NeuroMD devices are based on what the company refers to as Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) technology, which targets both motor nerves and sensory nerves.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 28 May 2026
Oura Rings are smart devices that track sleep, stress, activity, heart health and more to provide insight into your personal health.
—Claire Peltier, ABC News, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devices
Noun
-
There is still a tendency in tech to assume serious funding has to flow through San Francisco or New York, but capital is increasingly available in markets that historically sat outside the center of the venture ecosystem.—
Hebron Sher,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
-
Overprivileged students had a tendency to see teachers and headmasters not as authority figures but as people of lower social standing.—
Thomas Adam,
The Conversation,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
During the regular season, both were among the top seven NBA teams by defensive rating, and the Knicks particularly improved by that defensive aptitude as the season went on.—
John Cassillo,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
Even if he was blown away by the aptitude of every member of a front office that has been here for the 22-45-1 run under Schoen, it still was expected that Harbaugh would bring in someone with ties to him from Baltimore.—
Dan Duggan,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
Noun
-
Born to a humble family in the twilight years of the shogunate, Higuchi Natsuko (as she was born) was the fourth child and second daughter of a man with scholarly inclinations, who as a farmer had come to the capital to seek both fortune and rank.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
-
As organizations grow, leaders have an inclination to create more bureaucracy and more complexity.—
Bob Rhatigan,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Despite a lack of formal diplomatic relations, both sides share close economic ties, cultural affinity and historical connections.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
-
During a launch breakfast in London on Wednesday, Boateng added that his affinity for interior spaces grew directly from his tailoring career, and that shifting from fashion to furnishings felt like a natural transition.—
Mary Wenthur,
Footwear News,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
The story takes place in Iran, where both Nayeri and Bell lived as children, and the creators’ affection for the setting shines through in their work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 June 2026
-
But your New Country friends speak of theirs with an affection and an entitlement that, together, unnerve you.—
Taiye Selasi,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
Now his eponymous impulses have expanded to the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.—
Cleve R. Wootson Jr,
Washington Post,
3 June 2026
-
Here, as ever, Kokopeli suggests that clinging to youthful talismans offers no protection against uncertainty, and reasserts the odd mix of disaffection and morbid glee produced by such reactionary impulses.—
Theo Belci,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Their books demonstrate that preparing for the future requires understanding the past and developing a patient, attentive disposition toward the here and now.—
Anna Holmes,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
-
Knauf developed this disposition throughout the tenure of his career, which began in product management.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devices.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devices. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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