Synonyms of tendency

tendency

noun

ˈten-dən(t)-sē 

1

as in proneness

an established pattern of behavior

a tendency to drop things

a tendency to make snap judgments

Synonyms & Similar Words

• proneness
• way
• propensity
• proclivity
• aptness
• inclination
• predisposition
• predilection
• penchant
• turn
• habit
• affinity
• practice
• disposition
• aptitude
• bent
• partiality
• pattern
• practise
• wont
• routine
• mind-set
• custom
• idiosyncrasy
• peculiarity
• eccentricity
• leaning
• quirk
• singularity
• trick
• oddity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dislike
• disinclination
• indisposition
• averseness

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

• trend
• tide
• direction
• shift
• wind
• drift
• current
• run
• turn
• curve
• leaning
• habit
• propensity
• tenor
• way
• downside
• swing
• custom
• upside
• turnabout
• countertrend
• countercurrent
• undercurrent
• undertow

3

as in inclination

a habitual attraction to some activity or thing

a youth with a natural tendency toward arts and crafts instead of sports

Synonyms & Similar Words

• inclination
• aptitude
• devices
• affinity
• proclivity
• affection
• impulse
• propensity
• predilection
• predisposition
• knack
• disposition
• penchant
• bias
• preference
• addiction
• bent
• partiality
• talent
• turn
• leaning
• appetite
• bone
• genius
• gift
• habitude
• prejudice
• flair
• habit
• taste
• liking
• like
• fondness
• favor
• partisanship
• endowment
• faculty
• one-sidedness
• practice
• pattern
• practise
• speciality
• specialty
• forte
• idiosyncrasy
• wont
• peculiarity
• eccentricity
• fancy
• way
• quirk
• routine
• convention
• custom
• singularity
• trick
• kink
• oddity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dislike
• aversion
• distaste
• disinclination
• allergy
• neutrality
• disfavor
• detachment
• objectivity
• indifference
• impartiality
• averseness
• disliking
• disrelish
• apathy
• nonchalance
• unconcern
• disinterestedness
• insouciance

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

Recent Examples of tendency

Some things that had initially mystified him, like the tendency for pedestrians in Cambridge to cross streets against traffic lights, eventually bothered him less. —Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 3 June 2025

Add an extra rinse and spin to your cycle selection to make sure that all of the laundry detergent will be flushed out of your duvet; fillings are often dense and have a tendency to hold onto soap. —Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 31 May 2025

Americans' fears over the consequences of tariffs, however, have yet to tame President Trump's unpredictable tendencies. —Clare Morell, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025

That means that during storms, tenants’ bathrooms and drains have the potential or tendency to back up and overflow. —Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 29 May 2025