ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tendencies

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈtɛndənsiz// UK //tˈɛndənsiz// ten·den·cies

n. a natural way of acting or thinking that you often repeat. You use this to describe a habit or a direction someone usually takes.

n. an inclination toward a particular characteristic or type of behaviour. Often used to describe recurring patterns in human psychology or social trends.


SIMPLE

He has tendencies to worry about small things.

CONTEXTUAL

The market is showing strong tendencies toward digital services rather than physical products this year.

COMPLEX

While the author displays certain romantic tendencies in her early poetry, her later work adopts a much more cynical and grounded perspective on human relationships.

Synonyms
Usage

Usually used in the plural form when describing a person's general character or habits.

Pitfall

he has a tendency of being latehe has a tendency to be lateThe word is typically followed by an infinitive ('to be') rather than 'of' and a gerund.

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