# trend

/ˈtɹɛnd/ (US) · /tɹˈɛnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/trend
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. general direction of change

noun · CEFR B1 · General-service

a general direction in which something is developing or changing over time.

For teachers: a general direction in which something is developing or changing. Often used in social or economic contexts to describe long-term shifts.

- There is a growing trend toward working from home in many industries.
- Economists have noted a downward trend in consumer spending over the last three quarters, suggesting a cooling of the national economy.

### 2. fashion or fad

noun · CEFR B1

a fashion or style that is popular right now.

For teachers: a prevailing style or custom; a fad. Often implies a temporary or cyclical nature.

- Wide-leg jeans are the latest fashion trend among teenagers.
- The marketing team is struggling to keep pace with the rapidly shifting trends of the digital entertainment market.

### 3. statistical pattern

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic · Technical

a line on a graph that shows the general direction of data points.

For teachers: a line or mathematical pattern on a graph that approximates the direction of a set of data points.

- The trend on the chart shows that temperatures are rising every year.
- By applying a linear regression, the researcher identified a clear upward trend that remained significant even after adjusting for seasonal outliers.

### 4. to be popular online

verb · CEFR B1 · Informal

to be very popular on social media at a specific moment.

For teachers: to be the subject of a current trend, particularly on social media platforms where topics are ranked by real-time engagement.

- The hashtag started trending on Twitter just minutes after the news broke.
- The video began trending globally after several high-profile influencers shared it with their respective audiences.

Usage: The verb is intransitive and often used in the continuous form.

### 5. to move in a direction

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

to move or change in a certain direction over time.

For teachers: to exhibit a tendency or to move in a specified direction. Intransitive; often followed by 'toward' or 'upwards/downwards'.

- Stock prices have been trending upward for the past month.
- Public opinion has been trending toward more conservative policies as the election approaches.

## Examples

- There is a growing trend toward working from home.
- Economists are currently analyzing the downward trend in consumer spending to predict next year's market growth.
- While short-term fluctuations are common in the stock market, the long-term trend suggests a steady recovery for the technology sector over the next decade.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.