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
• 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
• bent
• addiction
• partiality
• talent
• turn
• leaning
• appetite
• bone
• genius
• gift
• habitude
• prejudice
• flair
• habit
• taste
• liking
• like
• fondness
• favor
• partisanship
• endowment
• faculty
• one-sidedness
• practice
• pattern
• 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

Maybe the shooting shook something loose in her and has amplified her worst tendencies. — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2026

These are broad tendencies, however, and do not guarantee how an individual storm or hurricane season will unfold. — Gregory Padgett, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026

One can observe the same tendency to retreat, the same xenophobia. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026

Young people’s tendency is to think about themselves as the center of the world. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026