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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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
Rectal cancer deaths are rising at a significantly faster rate than colon cancer among younger Americans, a trend that researchers warn will continue to escalate without a shift in treatment. Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026 Today on the show, Kevin Dancy, vice president and regional executive at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, lays out a worrying consumer trend that’s affecting how retailers do business. Adrian Ma, NPR, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
New car registrations in California for Tesla vehicles have trended downward for at least 4 years, hitting a low point during the first quarter of 2026. Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 23 Apr. 2026 The other four trending domestic locations are Orlando, Longboat Key, Pensacola Beach and Baltimore. Eva Flowe april 23, Charlotte Observer, 23 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trend
Noun
  • The landmark Meta trial ruling last month signaled a shift in the tide.
    Larz May, Fortune, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Timing your visit around the tides gives you two completely different — and equally memorable — experiences.
    Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Just when the world seems to have caught on to the duanju craze, Chinese companies are midway through another seismic change.
    Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The duo had jump-started the AI-for-Erdős craze late last year by prompting a free version of ChatGPT with open problems chosen at random from the Erdős problems website.
    Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Older adults tend to begin treatment within a month of symptoms starting — but young adults face an average seven-month delay before getting care.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Chandeliers are Timeless Trendy statement lights tend to have a short shelf life, and the French often embrace interior design trends through accessories like art rather than fixtures.
    Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • All communal areas can be reached by curving but steep paths.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Depending on the positioning of this wing, the robot can glide forward or curve back toward its starting point.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The Sixers’ Nick Nurse is widely believed to be under pressure too, meaning Sunday’s loss to Boston, which put them in a 3-1 hole, qualifies as a step in the wrong direction.
    Sam Amick, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • As the Moon moves through your 11th House of Friends, collaboration brings fresh direction.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 27 Apr. 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
  • But the ongoing fracturing of American politics, and especially the capricious and authoritarian-leaning tendencies of the current administration, complicates everything.
    Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Viewers were quick to react to the clip, with many leaning into the humor of the situation.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Kormákur is an Icelandic filmmaker whose breakout was the 2006 crime drama Jar City and who has a tendency to bounce around both genres and continents.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
  • In 2024, Julie Aitken Schermer, a psychology professor at the University of Western Ontario in Canada, published a paper that showed drivers who modified their exhaust systems to be louder were more likely to have psychopathic and sadist tendencies.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Trend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trend. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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