ten·den·cy (t n d n-s )n. pl. ten·den·cies 1. Movement or prevailing movement in a given direction: observed the tendency of the wind; the shoreward tendency of the current. 2. A characteristic likelihood: fabric that has a tendency to wrinkle. 3. A predisposition to think, act, behave, or proceed in a particular way. 4. a. An implicit direction or purpose: not openly liberal, but that is the tendency of the book. b. An implicit point of view in written or spoken matter; a bias. [Medieval Latin tendentia, from Latin tend ns, tendent-, present participle of tendere, to tend; see tend1.]Synonyms: tendency, trend, current, drift, tenor, inclination These nouns refer to the direction or course of an action or thought. Tendency implies a predisposition to proceed in a particular way: "The tendency of our own day is ... towards firm, solid, verifiable knowledge" (William H. Mallock). Trend often applies to a general or prevailing direction, especially within a particular sphere: "the trend of religious thought in recent times" (James Harvey Robinson). Current suggests a course or flow, as of opinion, especially one representative of a given time or place: "the whole current of modern feeling" (James Bryce). A drift is a tendency that seems driven by a shifting current: a drift toward communism in Latin America. Tenor implies a continuous, unwavering course: "His conduct was ... uniform and unvarying in its tenor" (Frederick Marryat). Inclination usually refers to an individual's propensity for or disposition toward one thing rather than another: an inclination to overindulge in sweets. |
tendency [ˈtɛndənsɪ]
n pl -cies
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. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a faction, esp one within a political party the militant tendency
[from Medieval Latin tendentia, from Latin tendere to tend1]
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | tendency - an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others; "he had an inclination to give up too easily"; "a tendency to be too strict" attitude, mental attitude - a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways; "he had the attitude that work was fun" direction - a general course along which something has a tendency to develop; "I couldn't follow the direction of his thoughts"; "his ideals determined the direction of his career"; "they proposed a new direction for the firm" trend, drift, movement - a general tendency to change (as of opinion); "not openly liberal but that is the trend of the book"; "a broad movement of the electorate to the right" Call - a special disposition (as if from a divine source) to pursue a particular course; "he was disappointed that he had not heard the Call" denominationalism - the tendency, in Protestantism, to separate into religious denominations or to advocate such separations devices - an inclination or desire; used in the plural in the phrase `left to your own devices'; "eventually the family left the house to the devices of this malevolent force"; "the children were left to their own devices" sympathy, understanding - an inclination to support or be loyal to or to agree with an opinion; "his sympathies were always with the underdog"; "I knew I could count on his understanding" favoritism, favouritism - an inclination to favor some person or group bent, set - a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way; "the set of his mind was obvious" literalism - a disposition to interpret statements in their literal sense perseveration - the tendency for a memory or idea to persist or recur without any apparent stimulus for it predisposition - an inclination beforehand to interpret statements in a particular way dislike, disfavor, disfavour, disapproval - an inclination to withhold approval from some person or group partisanship, partiality - an inclination to favor one group or view or opinion over alternatives impartiality, nonpartisanship - an inclination to weigh both views or opinions equally |
| 2. |  tendency - an inclination to do something; "he felt leanings toward frivolity"inclination - that toward which you are inclined to feel a liking; "her inclination is for classical music" | |
| 3. | tendency - a characteristic likelihood of or natural disposition toward a certain condition or character or effect; "the alkaline inclination of the local waters"; "fabric with a tendency to shrink" heterosis, hybrid vigor - (genetics) the tendency of a crossbred organism to have qualities superior to those of either parent disposition - a natural or acquired habit or characteristic tendency in a person or thing; "a swelling with a disposition to rupture" buoyancy - the tendency to float in water or other liquid electronegativity, negativity - (chemistry) the tendency of an atom or radical to attract electrons in the formation of an ionic bond stainability - (cytology) the capacity of cells or cell parts to stain specifically with certain dyes desire - an inclination to want things; "a man of many desires" | |
| 4. |  tendency - a general direction in which something tends to move; "the shoreward tendency of the current"; "the trend of the stock market" |
tendency
noun
1. trend, drift, movement, turning, heading, course, drive, bearing, direction, bias the government's tendency towards secrecy in recent years
2. inclination, leaning, bent, liability, readiness, disposition, penchant, propensity, susceptibility, predisposition, predilection, proclivity, partiality, proneness He has a tendency towards snobbery.
Translations
tendency [ˈtendənsɪ] N
1. (gen) → tendencia f
to have a tendency to do sth [person] → tener tendencia a hacer algo (Med) → tener propensión or ser propenso a hacer algo
he has a tendency to exaggerate → tiene tendencia a exagerar
there is a tendency for companies to recruit fewer staff → existe tendencia por parte de las empresas a emplear a menos trabajadores
there is a tendency for prices to rise → los precios tienen tendencia a subir
she has a tendency to or towards depression → tiene propensión or es propensa a la depresión
to have a tendency to do sth [person] → tener tendencia a hacer algo (Med) → tener propensión or ser propenso a hacer algo
he has a tendency to exaggerate → tiene tendencia a exagerar
there is a tendency for companies to recruit fewer staff → existe tendencia por parte de las empresas a emplear a menos trabajadores
there is a tendency for prices to rise → los precios tienen tendencia a subir
she has a tendency to or towards depression → tiene propensión or es propensa a la depresión
2. (= leaning) left-wing/right-wing tendencies → tendencias fpl izquierdistas/derechistas
suicidal tendencies → tendencias fpl or inclinaciones fpl suicidas
suicidal tendencies → tendencias fpl or inclinaciones fpl suicidas
tendency [ˈtɛndənsi] n (= inclination) → tendance f
She has artistic tendencies → Elle est d'un naturel artistique.
to have a tendency towards sth → avoir tendance à qch
He has a tendency towards snobbery → Il a tendance à être snob.
to have a tendency to do sth → avoir tendance à faire qch
She has artistic tendencies → Elle est d'un naturel artistique.
to have a tendency towards sth → avoir tendance à qch
He has a tendency towards snobbery → Il a tendance à être snob.
to have a tendency to do sth → avoir tendance à faire qch
tendency
n → Tendenz f (geh); (= physical predisposition) → Neigung f; artistic tendencies → künstlerische Neigungen pl; to have a tendency to be/do something → gern or gewöhnlich etw sein/tun; (person, style of writing also) → dazu neigen or tendieren, etw zu sein/zu tun; he had an annoying tendency to forget things → er hatte die ärgerliche Angewohnheit, alles zu vergessen; there is a tendency for prices to rise in autumn → gewöhnlich steigen die Preise im Herbst; a strong upward tendency (St Ex) → eine stark steigende Tendenz
tendency [ˈtɛndənsɪ] n → tendenza
to have a tendency to do sth → avere la tendenza a fare qc
tendency [ˈtɛndənsɪ] n → tendenza
to have a tendency to do sth → avere la tendenza a fare qc
to have a tendency to do sth → avere la tendenza a fare qc
tendency [ˈtɛndənsɪ] n → tendenza
to have a tendency to do sth → avere la tendenza a fare qc
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