inclination

[ in-kluh-ney-shuhn ]

noun

1. a disposition or bent, especially of the mind or will; a liking or preference:

   Much against his inclination, he was forced to resign.

   Synonyms: penchant, predisposition, predilection, proclivity, propensity, tendency, leaning

   Antonyms: dislike

2. something to which one is inclined:

   In sports his inclination is tennis.

3. the act of inclining; state of being inclined.
4. a tendency toward a certain condition, action, etc.:

   the door's inclination to stick.

5. deviation or amount of deviation from a normal, especially horizontal or vertical, direction or position.

   Synonyms: pitch, grade, fall, rise, slant, slope

6. an inclined surface.

   Synonyms: ramp, pitch, grade, fall, rise, slant, slope

7. Geometry.
   1. the angle between two lines or two planes.
   2. the angle formed by the x-axis and a given line.
8. Astronomy.
   1. the angle between the orbital plane of a planet and another given plane, usually the ecliptic.
   2. the angle between the equatorial and orbital planes of a planet.
9. Magnetism. dip ¹( def 32 ).

inclination

/ ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. often foll byfor, to, towards, or an infinitive a particular disposition, esp a liking or preference; tendency

   I've no inclination for such dull work

2. the degree of deviation from a particular plane, esp a horizontal or vertical plane
3. a sloping or slanting surface; incline
4. the act of inclining or the state of being inclined
5. the act of bowing or nodding the head
6. maths
   1. the angle between a line on a graph and the positive limb of the x- axis
   2. the smaller dihedral angle between one plane and another
7. astronomy the angle between the plane of the orbit of a planet or comet and another plane, usually that of the ecliptic
8. physics another name for dip

inclination

/ ĭn′klə-nā′shən /

1. A deviation or the degree of deviation from the horizontal or vertical.

Derived Forms

• ˌincliˈnational, adjective

Other Words From

• incli·nation·al adjective
• nonin·cli·nation noun
• nonin·cli·nation·al adjective
• over·incli·nation noun
• super·incli·nation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inclination¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English inclinacioun, from Latin inclīnātiōn-, stem of inclīnātiō, from inclīnāt(us) “caused to bend” (past participle of inclīnāre “to cause to bend”; incline ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

That's where having fine-dining chefs can help flip people's aversion to inclination.

From Salon

Where Didion was ordered, Babitz was an improviser, an artist by inclination rather than design.

From Los Angeles Times

Archie’s inclination is to look down on everyone else; Laszlo’s first reaction is always curiosity.

From Salon

Now the inclination is to lean into lessons learned in 2022.

From Los Angeles Times

But the judge added: “The defendant has not shown any inclination to comply with the injunction in the future. All of his actions suggest that he regards himself as above the law.”

From BBC

Related Words

• affection
• appetite
• aptitude
• bias
• capability
• desire
• disposition
• impulse
• leaning
• penchant
• predilection
• predisposition
• preference
• prejudice
• proclivity
• propensity
• temperament