tendency
noun
ten·den·cy
ˈten-dən(t)-sē 
plural tendencies
1
a
: a proneness to a particular kind of thought or action
b
: direction or approach toward a place, object, effect, or limit
2
a
: the purposeful trend of something written or said : aim
b
: deliberate but indirect advocacy
Examples of tendency in a Sentence
The economy has shown a general tendency toward inflation.
a tendency to drop things
Recent Examples on the Web
While employers have the tendency to blame Gen Z’s ‘goldfish memories’ for perpetuating this culture of distraction (64% of Insightful survey respondents said lack of focus was the biggest challenge of working with the youngest generation), zapped attention is not just their problem.
—
Bysasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 3 July 2024
To be fair, memoirs have exhibited a tendency to multiply ever since Augustine recalled pocketing those pears.
—Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024
That’s more of a difficult needle to thread than ever: Social media, which has the tendency to speed up beauty and fashion trends, rewards newness above all else.
—Rebecca Jennings, Vox, 1 July 2024
Andrea's candid and straightforward demeanor aligns with Sagittarius' tendency to speak their mind without reservation.
—Valerie Mesa, Peoplemag, 30 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for tendency 
Bysasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 3 July 2024
To be fair, memoirs have exhibited a tendency to multiply ever since Augustine recalled pocketing those pears.
—Parul Sehgal, The New Yorker, 1 July 2024
That’s more of a difficult needle to thread than ever: Social media, which has the tendency to speed up beauty and fashion trends, rewards newness above all else.
—Rebecca Jennings, Vox, 1 July 2024
Andrea's candid and straightforward demeanor aligns with Sagittarius' tendency to speak their mind without reservation.
—Valerie Mesa, Peoplemag, 30 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for tendency
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tendency.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near tendency
Cite this Entry
“Tendency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tendency. Accessed 14 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
tendency
noun
ten·den·cy
ˈten-dən-sē
plural tendencies
1
: a direction or approach toward a place, object, result, or limit
2
: a leaning toward a particular kind of thought or action
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