SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
inclination
noun
A tendency, preference, or disposition toward a particular action or view.
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Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
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The Voluntary Parade · paragraph 2Tendency or preference
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topAn inclination can be a mild preference; propensity more often suggests a recurring tendency.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See inclination in use
His first inclination was to postpone the decision until the missing information arrived.
Mara's inclination was to arrange the letters by writer rather than by date, because she enjoyed following each person's continuing account.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license