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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
Ohio introduced a flat tax, joining 14 other flat-tax states, another trend. Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2026 Although this may appear contradictory, several emerging trends reflect meaningful progress. Care Resource, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
This handy garden hose nozzle, which is trending right now, is going for the same price. Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026 The City reported late last month that hotel bookings in New York City for the dates of the World Cup were trending 2% below the same time last year when no major event was scheduled. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trend
Noun
  • Following the Ukraine invasion, the Conservatives started to turn the military spending tide around.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Typically, people are advised to stay out of the water for 48 to 72 hours after the last rainfall so the water can be flushed by the tides.
    Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The craze reached its apex in 1916, when Wall Street bettors wagered $10m (about $300m today) on the contest between President Woodrow Wilson and Charles Hughes — who, as governor of New York, had signed an anti-gambling law trying to ban the practice.
    Kelli María Korducki, thehustle.co, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Now, thanks to Zendaya fronting its anniversary campaign, the iconic collab is once again fueling a wave of nostalgic craze.
    Amanda Le, InStyle, 1 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Mornings tend to revolve around Regatta Buffet, or, for something lighter and more grab-and-go, Café Madeleine or Bahama Bagel.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Eisenberg’s albums under their own name tend toward the more introspective, though no less experimental.
    Reed Jackson, SPIN, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Arbat might even derive from gorbat (hunchback), because the road curved in and around streams.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026
  • On the exterior of a white-walled building with a curving roof—a production facility where steel parts for the company’s eponymous pistol are manufactured—hung an enormous billboard.
    Simon Akam, Vanity Fair, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Each season brings brings with it a seemingly impossible comeback that ends up defining the direction of fashion.
    Alex Sales, Glamour, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Skafafell National Park is a 24-minute drive in the other direction from the hotel.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • These latests features are designed for enterprises who want to integrate their AI technology with either existing Salesforce data or even their own data.
    Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The service Informality that leans helpful sets the tone here.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026
  • The album the 48-year-old country-music star put out last May leans hard into mood, scale and theatricality — strings, horns, choirs, the whole shebang — built around the idea of pushing back against a culture that wants everything fast, familiar and instantly gratifying.
    Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • When an investigation like Nancy Guthrie’s passes the two-month mark, there’s a tendency to look back and reexamine all assumptions and decisions made in the first few moments.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 3 Apr. 2026
  • New cultivars of Pyrus calleryana were bred to reduce Bradford’s tendency to split in snow or high winds.
    Campbell Vaughn, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Trend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trend. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.

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