Definitions for tendency
ˈtɛn dən siten·den·cy

Princeton's WordNet(3.00 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. inclination, disposition, tendency(noun)

   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"

2. leaning, propensity, tendency(noun)

   an inclination to do something

   "he felt leanings toward frivolity"

3. tendency, inclination(noun)

   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"

4. tendency, trend(noun)

   a general direction in which something tends to move

   "the shoreward tendency of the current"; "the trend of the stock market"

Wiktionary(1.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. tendency(Noun)

   a likelihood of behaving in a particular way or going in a particular direction; a tending toward.

   Denim has a tendency to fade.

   Etymology: Ultimately from the Latin tendere / tendō.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Tendency(noun)

   direction or course toward any place, object, effect, or result; drift; causal or efficient influence to bring about an effect or result

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'tendency' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3329

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'tendency' in Written Corpus Frequency: #4589

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'tendency' in Nouns Frequency: #1204

How to pronounce tendency?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say tendency in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of tendency in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of tendency in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of tendency in a Sentence

1. Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay:

   Logicians may reason about abstractions. But the great mass of men must have images. The strong tendency of the multitude in all ages and nations to idolatry can be explained on no other principle.

2. Scott Stewart:

   There are a tendency for these people to become more radical and that is what we are seeing right now with these guys who either have a problem with the Taliban leadership or discouraged by their lack of progress.

3. Tim Dixon:

   There is a tendency I think for the whole nature of the political polarization to become so distasteful that there's a large number of people who are just stepping back from it altogether and just sort of don't want to choose a side.

4. Carlos Castaneda:

   It is important to do what you don't know how to do. It is important to see your skills as keeping you from learning what is deepest and most mysterious. If you know how to focus, unfocus. If your tendency is to make sense out of chaos, start chaos.

5. Anuj Somany:

   The tendency to do slavery is rewarded through increments and promotion in an organisation and not competency.

Images & Illustrations of tendency

Popularity rank by frequency of use