Tendency

/ˈtɛn.dən.si/

Synonyms for "tendency" (249 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (50)

Noun(13 words)
inclinationpropensitytrenddispositionpenchantadjective of behaviorart currentbiasconfirmation bias towardconvergencecurrent trenddata pattern trenddata trend
Adjective(1 words)
danish strøm

Strong matches (75)

Noun(17 words)
drift lazilydriftsevidenced trendfashion trendshabitshabitudehankeringsimprint patternin the direction ofinclinationsinclineinclinesismitalian inclinarelanguage education trendlatin inclinareleaning
Adjective(5 words)
dutch trendfrench prédilectionfuture trendhabitual pattern of behaviorinstinctive urge
Verb(3 words)
ignore policyignoringindulge a whim

Related words (124)

Noun(28 words)
maintain weekly patternmannerismsnaturally inclinednote trendsold norse straumurpatternpattern of behaviorpeculiaritypenchantspreconceptionpredilectionspredispositionpredispositionsprejudiceproclivitiesprocrastinatingpropensitiesrantingreaction tendencyregularity
Show 8 more words
shift patternshticklstrong genetic predispositiontilttraittrend towardtrending towardtrends
Adjective(4 words)
minor driftmonthly trendpredictable pattern of behaviorstatistical trend
Determiner(1 words)
most animal instinct
Verb(1 words)

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: inclination, propensity, trend, disposition, penchant.
  • Sentence evidence is available for tendency, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "tendency".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "tendency"

Keep "tendency" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "tendency" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "tendency", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "tendency" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

4 relation types

More general

9 entries

More specific

7 entries
age trendcognitive biasconfirmation biasdata patternhabitseasonal trendselection bias

Collocations

6 entries
common tendencylong term tendencynatural tendencyoverall tendencyseasonal tendencystrong tendency

Inflections

1 entries

Sample sentences

17 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

You have a tendency to talk too fast.

Source: tatoeba (17508)

Another tendency of many Japanese speakers that bothers foreigners is to make statements that are too general and too broad by using or implying words like "all" and "every".

Source: tatoeba (21879)

That tendency is strong among Americans.

Source: tatoeba (48591)

Today there seems to be a tendency to make little of human relations.

Source: tatoeba (242418)

Showing 4 of 17 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "tendency"?

Closest matches include inclination, propensity, trend, disposition, penchant.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "tendency"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "tendency"