tendency

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noun [countable] British English pronunciation: tendency

/ˈtendənsi/

singular	tendency
plural	tendencies

Get It Right!

1
a strong chance that something will happen in a particular way
a tendency (for someone/something) to do something:
There’s a tendency for a new manager to make changes.
have a tendency to do something:
You have a tendency to avoid arguments.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tendency
1. a.
  an aspect of your character that you show by behaving in a particular way
  have artistic/criminal/suicidal tendencies
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tendency
2
an attitude, habit, or situation that is starting to develop in a particular way
an increasing/growing tendency
a tendency (for someone/something) to do something:
The tendency is for students to research on the Internet.
a tendency towards something:
We continue to see a tendency towards globalization of brands.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of tendency

Get It Right!: tendency

When a verb comes after tendency, use the pattern tendency to do something (not ‘tendency of doing something’):

✗ …the tendency of accepting anything written on a piece of paper

✓ …the tendency to accept anything written on a piece of paper

✗ …the tendency of treating the Holocaust as if it had never happened

✓ …the tendency to treat the Holocaust as if it had never happened

When another noun comes after tendency, the usual preposition is towards (not ‘of’):

✗ There is a tendency of isolation in modern society.

✓ There is a tendency towards isolation in modern society.

This is the British English definition of tendency. View American English definition of tendency.

Change your default dictionary and thesaurus to American English.

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