tendency

American  

[ten-duhn-see] / ˈtɛn dən si /

noun

plural

tendencies

1. a natural or prevailing disposition to move, proceed, or act in some direction or toward some point, end, or result.

   the tendency of falling bodies toward the earth.

2. an inclination, bent, or predisposition to something.

   a tendency to talk too much.

   Synonyms:

   leaning, proclivity

3. a special and definite purpose in a novel or other literary work.

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tendency British  

/ ˈtɛndənsɪ /

noun

1. (often foll by to) an inclination, predisposition, propensity, or leaning

   she has a tendency to be frivolous

   a tendency to frivolity

2. the general course, purport, or drift of something, esp a written work

3. a faction, esp one within a political party

   the militant tendency

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Related Words

Tendency, direction, trend, drift refer to inclination or line of action or movement. A tendency is an inclination toward a certain line of action (whether or not the action follows), and is often the result of inherent qualities, nature, or habit: a tendency to procrastinate. Direction is the line along which an object or course of action moves, often toward some set point or intended goal: The change is in the direction of improvement. Trend emphasizes simultaneous movement in a certain direction of a number of factors, although the course or goal may not be clear for any single feature: Business indicators showed a downward trend. Drift emphasizes gradual development as well as direction: the drift of his argument.

Other Word Forms

• countertendency noun

Etymology

Origin of tendency

From the Medieval Latin word tendentia, dating back to 1620–30. See tend ¹, -ency

Example Sentences

In his seminal work External link on the impact of automation on jobs, MIT economist David Autor noted the tendency of headlines to overstate the extent of job losses from new technology.

From Barron's

Thomas’s style of speaking, in fact, resembles poetry, with rapid juxtapositions of images and a tendency to condense memories from different time periods.

From The Wall Street Journal

Essiedu says there can be a tendency to view miscarriage only as a physical issue.

From BBC

Studies point to wearables’ tendency to induce “self-tracking anxiety” or “health data anxiety,” the byproduct of too much information about one’s inner workings.

From The Wall Street Journal

In his seminal work on the impact of automation on jobs, MIT economist David Autor noted the tendency of headlines to overstate the extent of job losses from new technology.

From Barron's

Related Words

• bias
• habit
• impulse
• leaning
• penchant
• propensity
• shift
• trend
• type
• weakness