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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

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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

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 tendency The production benefits from Larson’s self-archival tendencies: the show opens with video footage from the ’90s, and includes scrappy songs that were likely never meant for the main stage, but provide insight into his creative process. Kristen Tauer, WWD, 11 Mar. 2025 And third: Summit’s tendency to most often describe his life not in terms of music but cinema. Katie Bain, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2025 Young dogs and puppies are especially notorious for their curiosity and tendency to chew on anything in sight. Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 5 Mar. 2025 Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield’s antisocial tendencies will find positive expression in a tenderness for those whom polite society brutalizes or neglects. Anahid Nersessian, The New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for tendency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tendency
Noun
  • Racing for Innovation: Lessons from Tesla and Google TikTok’s challenges are part of a broader trend.
    Jason Wingard, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
  • More Abercrombie Spring Clothing Deals: Best Top Deals Abercrombie is known for mixing comfort with fashion's latest trends.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 11 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This told them that all coral structures take their shape from individual polyps’ microscopic inclinations.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Feb. 2025
  • His geopolitical inclinations have not changed, and his antidemocratic tendencies have only gotten worse.
    HAL BRANDS, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • If all goes according to plan, Super Heavy will nestle into the launch tower's inviting arms once again, and Ship will fly much of the way around Earth before making a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • This happens when water in front of the tire builds up faster than the vehicle's weight can push water out of the way.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacramento Bee, 3 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The spiral structure of the cloud is believed to have emerged as a consequence of the Galactic tide—the gravitational influence of the surrounding Milky Way galaxy.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
  • President Donald Trump’s return to the White House has turned the tide in relations, however, as last week saw the first high-level sit-down talks between U.S. and Russian officials in years, looking to lay the groundwork for Ukraine peace talks.
    Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • His aptitude for pitching, Cotham said, was more advanced than anyone he’s known at that age.
    Matt Gelb, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck, The Athletic: Gluck took Christopher Bell, citing the upped numbers of Toyotas on the road this year and Bell’s aptitude as an all-around racer.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The interlaced sub-narratives of the show’s supporting characters — and their all-too-human stumbles — further illuminate the show’s sharp but nuanced take on the wellness industry, with all of its propensity to both overpromise and provide genuine care.
    Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Tanev is every bit the warrior he’s often described as, missing only one game this season despite his propensity to eat pucks.
    Joshua Kloke, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • While Reid was considered the most left-leaning of MSNBC’s hosts, her departure does not portend a change in direction at the network, which has a tribal following among political progressives.
    Stephen Battaglio, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2025
  • There will also be standard shoulders in each direction between the bridge on First Avenue and the bridge over the West River, according to DOT.
    Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 3 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The combination of IoT and AI enables connected devices to collect, analyze and act on data in real-time.
    Rahul Saluja, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
  • Just in time for Christmas, certain members of Congress are hard at work in their policy shops, fashioning a massive lump of cybersecurity coal with which to gift American users of electronic devices.
    David Williams, National Review, 26 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Tendency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tendency. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

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