1
2
as in trend
a prevailing or general movement or inclination we'll be seeing a tendency for skirt lengths to get shorter this coming season

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

Synonym Chooser

How is the word tendency different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of tendency are current, drift, tenor, and trend. While all these words mean "movement in a particular direction," tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

In what contexts can current take the place of tendency?

Although the words current and tendency have much in common, current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

When is it sensible to use drift instead of tendency?

In some situations, the words drift and tendency are roughly equivalent. However, drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces, or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

the drift of the population away from large cities
got the drift of her argument

Where would tenor be a reasonable alternative to tendency?

The synonyms tenor and tendency are sometimes interchangeable, but tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

When can trend be used instead of tendency?

The words trend and tendency can be used in similar contexts, but trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of tendency The team also found that puppyhood behaviors (dogs aged 2 months to 6 months) were linked to a higher tendency for addictive-like behavior later in life. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 9 Oct. 2025 Have no sense of your own tendency to regret. Big Think, 9 Oct. 2025 These tendencies are most consequential in the kidnapping scene, a gnarled set piece that, in its planning and execution, seems to defy even dream logic. Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 8 Oct. 2025 There was, as with many of those living in the gloaming aesthetic twilight of Romanticism, a tendency to confuse the characters with their creator, a narrator with the author. Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tendency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tendency
Noun
  • Both Max’s debut LP, Heaven & Hell, and her sophomore album, Diamonds and Dancefloors, were pushed back for release because of leaks, and Max has addressed her music’s proneness to making its way online before release in the past.
    Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • But the trend right now is the opposite.
    Oliver Kay, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Many other Big Tech companies also slashed their headcounts around that time as the pandemic receded and consumer demand trends changed.
    Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • On command, the Arc would detach from the service module and reenter the atmosphere at Mach 20+ with a high sustained g-load to arrive at any location within its orbital inclination zone.
    David Szondy October 13, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2025
  • As Tuchel attested, England’s inclination to regain possession was as impressive as their work on the ball.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This happens when water in front of the tire builds up faster than the vehicle's weight can push water out of the way.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025
  • The Chiefs are back, just as quickly as they were dismissed, and that’s in more than ways than post-game one-liners exuding some confidence after a convincing 30-17 win against the red-hot Lions.
    Sam McDowell October 13, Kansas City Star, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • That’s likely to make voters think twice before unseating her, even when national tides run against Republicans.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025
  • For years, technological, geographical and financial hurdles impeded wave and tide energy development.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Cootes also has demonstrated some solid aptitude in the faceoff circle.
    Thomas Drance, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Her aptitude was unavoidable at the Fendi show, where top models holding desirable handbags, styled with joyful knits, eye-catching dresses and sporty separates, strutted past guests, including actors Hilary Duff, Naomi Watts and Bang Chan of the South Korean boy band Stray Kids.
    Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Skye herself has almost no distinguishing characteristics besides her fragile state and propensity for terrible decisions, especially as the investigation around her boyfriend’s death kicks into gear.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Now, researchers have identified specific regions of the human genome connected to cannabis use, which means the propensity to get addicted to weed may be encoded in DNA.
    Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Swim in a direction following the shoreline.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Add pasta; cook according to package directions for al dente.
    Elizabeth Mervosh, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tendency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tendency. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on tendency

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!