trend 1 of 2

1
as in tide
a prevailing or general movement or inclination according to the survey, there's a growing trend for companies to run their own day-care centers for the benefit of employees

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2

trend

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to tend
to show a liking or proneness (for something) during the winter our school system trends toward canceling school at the drop of a hat—or at least a snowflake

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2
as in to curve
to turn away from a straight line or course the river trends east, then west again, forming an oxbow

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How is the word trend different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of trend are current, drift, tendency, and tenor. While all these words mean "movement in a particular direction," trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

When can current be used instead of trend?

In some situations, the words current and trend are roughly equivalent. However, current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

When is drift a more appropriate choice than trend?

The synonyms drift and trend are sometimes interchangeable, but drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces, or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

the drift of the population away from large cities
got the drift of her argument

When might tendency be a better fit than trend?

The words tendency and trend are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

When is it sensible to use tenor instead of trend?

The meanings of tenor and trend largely overlap; however, tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

Examples of trend in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Recommendations to address the trend include higher starting salaries and more mentoring. Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024 Nowhere has the trend toward avoidance and capitulation been more apparent than in the Harris/Walz presidential campaign itself. Samantha Riedel, Them, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
Amazon is known for clever gadgets, buzzy beauty finds, trending fashion — and more recently, prefabricated tiny homes. Toni Sutton, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024 In San Francisco, for example, there has been ample evidence that Asian American voters, who make up a third of the electorate, have been trending toward the right. Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for trend 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Trend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trend. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

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