tenor

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of tenor are current, drift, tendency, and trend. While all these words mean "movement in a particular direction," tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

When is current a more appropriate choice than tenor?

While the synonyms current and tenor are close in meaning, current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

In what contexts can drift take the place of tenor?

The words drift and tenor can be used in similar contexts, but 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

When might tendency be a better fit than tenor?

Although the words tendency and tenor have much in common, tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

When would trend be a good substitute for tenor?

The meanings of trend and tenor largely overlap; however, 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 tenor Alternating standards with original tunes, the ensemble includes tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson, trumpeter Eddie Henderson, and drummer Lenny White (a member of the original project). Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2025 That support, many clinicians say, has changed the tenor of the doctor-patient relationship. Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 24 Sep. 2025 Jess doubles harmony and leads while Cameron lays on high-tenor smooth bass to create that buttery Nineties country sound. Jonathan Terrell, Rolling Stone, 23 Sep. 2025 The film’s overall low-key tenor downplays both moral judgment and conspicuous style, though neither are entirely lacking. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 22 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tenor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tenor
Noun
  • Top State Department officials traveled to El Salvador to urge Bukele to reverse course.
    T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 30 Sep. 2025
  • There’s a limit to what they can be taught, of course.
    Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The show is a campy, 1980s-style whodunit that begins with the funeral of a famous singer.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 29 Sep. 2025
  • The viral TikTok video shows Lukman getting ready for work inside her pod, which is housed in a warehouse-style setting where each unit appears to contain only enough space for a mattress.
    Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • With both teams aiming to avoid a 1–3 start, this game presents an opportunity for one to gain momentum and establish a positive direction for the rest of the season.
    Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Don’t pull over in the roundabout Roundabouts with a single lane of traffic in each direction are fairly simple – yield to traffic in the roundabout, wait for a gap in traffic and go through, Bryson said.
    Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • One of the issues Bayandir had had this season is his tendency to not parry the ball to the sides.
    Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
  • However, leaders can have a tendency to try to optimize inefficient processes with shiny new tech instead of questioning their existence.
    Mike Hoffman, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • His gist is both elegant and internally consistent as well as wholly unique.
    Abraham Josephine Riesman, Vulture, 28 July 2025
  • There was still some vagueness around specifics, but the basic gist of the deal is that European imports to the U.S. will mostly be tariffed at 15 percent.
    Niall Stanage, The Hill, 28 July 2025
Noun
  • Your emotional endurance, positive disposition, unbelievable talent (that blows me away), undeniable humor and loving, kind heart absolutely kill me.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
  • The months that followed revealed the hollowness of this order, which was so clearly at odds with the President’s own disposition.
    David Remnick, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In it, bamboo shoots weave through branches of peonies and delicate blossoms while birds and butterflies drift overhead.
    Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Brent Heath, co-owner of Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, suggests planting thickly in wide drifts, even rivers.
    Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • LaCombe, who played forward in his youth, has shown great improvement in his own end but still has the offensive inclinations to be a point producer.
    Eric Stephens, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Redford also shared that despite his inclination to public service, his ambitions were not political.
    Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Tenor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tenor. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.

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