trend 1 of 2

Definition of trendnext
1
as in tide
a prevailing or general movement or inclination according to the survey, there's a growing trend for companies to run their own day-care centers for the benefit of employees

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2

trend

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to tend
to show a liking or proneness (for something) during the winter our school system trends toward canceling school at the drop of a hat—or at least a snowflake

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to curve
to turn away from a straight line or course the river trends east, then west again, forming an oxbow

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of trend are current, drift, tendency, and tenor. While all these words mean "movement in a particular direction," trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

When can current be used instead of trend?

In some situations, the words current and trend are roughly equivalent. However, current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

When is drift a more appropriate choice than trend?

The synonyms drift and trend are sometimes interchangeable, 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 trend?

The words tendency and trend are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

When is it sensible to use tenor instead of trend?

The meanings of tenor and trend largely overlap; however, tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

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 trend
Noun
The trend for authentic vintage is having a halo effect on how brands are designing and merchandising their sport collections. Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 15 June 2026 One represents a positive exception to a recent national trend, the other a vestige of a long-standing practice now ripe for retirement. Mitch Daniels, Washington Post, 15 June 2026
Verb
What perfume notes are trending in 2026? Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 12 June 2026 Tributes poured in from fans and followers on social media, causing Ali’s name to trend for days. Alex Gurley, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for trend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trend
Noun
  • Tracking river flooding River and tide gauges across the state that are near or at the flood stage will be shown on the map.
    Kate Reilly, NBC news, 11 Dec. 2025
  • Ocean Cove was experiencing a negative tide that evening, meaning the sea level was lower than even a normal low tide, creating tide pools and exposing other features that are usually submerged.
    Austin Murphy, Sacbee.com, 9 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • In New York City, Millie Bobby Brown co-hosts The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon amid Stranger Things season 5 craze, and Blake Lively embraces Tom Felton in his Draco Malfoy costume backstage at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 8 Dec. 2025
  • South Park even did an episode in October mocking the craze.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 8 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • Supreme Court decisions that tend to come out in June.
    Editorial Board, Washington Post, 16 June 2026
  • With wellness travel booming, family-friendly options at this price point tend to fill up quickly, especially during summer months when Maine’s lakes and trails are at their peak.
    Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • Additive manufacturing allows load-bearing structures to follow curved, organic geometries dictated by optimization algorithms rather than the straight ribs and stringers of traditional airframes.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Dec. 2025
  • The track includes a bumpy stone staircase, a fast dash up a hill at a 40-degree incline and a sharp turn over a ramp curved at a 30-degree angle.
    Charles Trepany, USA Today, 30 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Brunson’s arrival changed the Knicks’ direction almost immediately.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 14 June 2026
  • Second, the report grapples seriously with agentic AI — autonomous systems capable of planning, reasoning, and executing multi-step tasks without continuous human direction.
    Mayra Rodriguez Valladares, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
Noun
  • The latests stats mean AI music has exploded by 650% in 16 months.
    James Peckham, PC Magazine, 20 Apr. 2026
  • The latests forecasts show a new round of storm systems will increase rain chances across much of Northern California and the Central Valley in the coming days.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Teams across the league are leaning into two- and three-tight-end sets to force defenses to play with bigger bodies, which affects their speed in coverage.
    Alec Lewis, New York Times, 16 June 2026
  • Beloved actor Ron Perlman fully leans into trying to make the contestants fail this task by forcing eye contact, asking them polite questions, rebuking their bad manners in ignoring him, and even doggedly getting into their personal space.
    Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026
Noun
  • Still, millennials are steeped in therapy culture, and there is a tendency to blame parents for a child’s pain.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
  • The best mattress-in-a-box for you has more to do with your body, sleeping position, tendency to run cool or hot, and other factors, not price.
    Kristi Kellogg, Architectural Digest, 10 Dec. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Trend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trend. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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