Inclination vs. Tendency — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 14, 2023
Inclination refers to a personal preference or leaning towards something, while Tendency is a general pattern or likelihood to behave in a certain way. Both imply a predisposition but vary in personalization and predictability.
Difference Between Inclination and Tendency
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Inclination is generally used to express a subjective preference or a personal leaning towards an action, idea, or state of being. Tendency, on the other hand, refers to a consistent pattern of behavior or the likelihood that a certain event will occur.
Inclination can often be specific to an individual and varies from person to person. Tendency is more general, often observable across a group of people, and suggests a more consistent or repeated behavior.
When speaking of Inclination, the emphasis is often on emotional or intellectual attraction. Tendency, in contrast, may be more statistical in nature, pointing to how often something generally happens.
Inclination often suggests a choice or a conscious lean towards something. Tendency implies less of a choice and more of an inherent or habitual behavior. Each term can be applied in multiple contexts, from psychology to natural sciences, but the nuances of their usage differ.
Comparison Chart
Personalization
More personalized
More generalized
ADVERTISEMENT
Predictability
Less predictable
More predictable
Choice
Implies a choice
Less choice-involved
Emotional vs. Statistical
Often emotional
Often statistical
Scope
Individual
Group or broader
Compare with Definitions
Inclination
Intellectual Bias
His inclination is towards scientific reasoning.
Tendency
Habitual Action
He has a tendency to arrive late.
Inclination
Personal Preference
John has an inclination towards classical music.
Tendency
Statistical Likelihood
The tendency of the stock is to rise.
Inclination
Emotional Leaning
She felt an inclination to trust him.
Tendency
Likely Behavior
Dogs have a tendency to bark at strangers.
Inclination
The act of inclining or the state of being inclined; a bend or tilt
The inclination of the child's head suggested sleep.
Tendency
General Pattern
There is a tendency for it to rain in April.
Inclination
A deviation or the degree of deviation from the horizontal or vertical; a slant
The steep inclination of a roof.
Tendency
Character Trait
Her tendency is to be optimistic.
Inclination
The angle between two lines or planes
The inclination of the comet's orbit with respect to that of Earth.
Tendency
An inclination towards a particular characteristic or type of behaviour
For students, there is a tendency to socialize in the evenings
Criminal tendencies
Inclination
An inclined surface; a slope.
Tendency
A characteristic likelihood
Fabric that has a tendency to wrinkle.
Inclination
A characteristic disposition or tendency to act in a certain way; a propensity
"I shall indulge the inclination so natural in old men, to be talking of themselves" (Benjamin Franklin).
Tendency
A predisposition to think, act, or proceed in a particular way
His tendency to exaggerate.
Inclination
A preference or liking
His musical inclinations.
Tendency
A characteristic pattern or point of view
The book's tendency to oversimplify events.
Inclination
A physical tilt or bend.
The inclination of his head increased and he awoke with a start.
Tendency
Movement or prevailing movement in a given direction
Observed the tendency of the wind.
The shoreward tendency of the current.
Inclination
A slant or slope.
The road up to the house had a steep inclination.
Tendency
A likelihood of behaving in a particular way or going in a particular direction; a tending toward.
Denim has a tendency to fade.
I have a tendency to get bored after the first half an hour of a movie.
There's a common tendency among first-game visitors to a casino to bet overcautiously.
Inclination
A tendency.
His inclination to drink escalated to alcoholism.
Tendency
(politics) An organised unit or faction within a larger political organisation.
Inclination
(geometry) The angle of intersection of a reference plane
The astronomer calculated the inclination of the equator or ecliptic of Earth and the orbital planes of each visible heavenly body.
Artillery must take account of a weapon's precise inclination.
Tendency
Direction or course toward any place, object, effect, or result; drift; causal or efficient influence to bring about an effect or result.
Writings of this kind, if conducted with candor, have a more particular tendency to the good of their country.
In every experimental science, there is a tendency toward perfection.
Inclination
(obsolete) A person or thing loved or admired.
Tendency
An attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others;
He had an inclination to give up too easily
A tendency to be too strict
Inclination
The act of inclining, or state of being inclined; a leaning; as, an inclination of the head.
Tendency
An inclination to do something;
He felt leanings toward frivolity
Inclination
A direction or tendency from the true vertical or horizontal direction; as, the inclination of a column, or of a road bed.
Tendency
A characteristic likelihood of or natural disposition toward a certain condition or character or effect;
The alkaline inclination of the local waters
Fabric with a tendency to shrink
Inclination
A tendency towards another body or point.
Tendency
A general direction in which something tends to move;
The shoreward tendency of the current
The trend of the stock market
Inclination
The angle made by two lines or planes; as, the inclination of the plane of the earth's equator to the plane of the ecliptic is about 23° 28´; the inclination of two rays of light.
Inclination
A leaning or tendency of the mind, feelings, preferences, or will; propensity; a disposition more favorable to one thing than to another; favor; desire; love.
A mere inclination to a thing is not properly a willing of that thing.
How dost thou find the inclination of the people?
Inclination
A person or thing loved or admired.
Inclination
Decantation, or tipping for pouring.
Inclination
An attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others;
He had an inclination to give up too easily
A tendency to be too strict
Inclination
(astronomy) the angle between the plane of the orbit and the plane of the ecliptic stated in degrees
Inclination
(geometry) the angle formed by the x-axis and a given line (measured counterclockwise from the positive half of the x-axis)
Inclination
(physics) the angle that a magnetic needle makes with the plane of the horizon
Inclination
That toward which you are inclined to feel a liking;
Her inclination is for classical music
Inclination
The property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the vertical;
The tower had a pronounced tilt
The ship developed a list to starboard
He walked with a heavy inclination to the right
Inclination
A characteristic likelihood of or natural disposition toward a certain condition or character or effect;
The alkaline inclination of the local waters
Fabric with a tendency to shrink
Inclination
The act of inclining; bending forward;
An inclination of his head indicated his agreement
Inclination
Natural Disposition
She has an inclination for kindness.
Inclination
Physical Angle
The road has a steep inclination upward.
Common Curiosities
Does Inclination imply a choice?
Often, as it's a conscious leaning or preference.
Is a Tendency more general?
Yes, it is often more general and could be applicable to a group.
Is an Inclination more personal?
Yes, it is often more personalized and individual-specific.
Can Inclination be emotional?
Yes, it often involves emotional or intellectual attraction.
Can Inclination change?
Yes, it can change based on experiences or insight.
Is Tendency more predictable?
Often, as it implies a consistent pattern.
What is an Inclination?
A personal preference or leaning towards something.
What is a Tendency?
A general pattern or likelihood to behave in a certain way.
Is Tendency more about habits?
Yes, it implies a consistent or habitual behavior.
Is Inclination individual-based?
Generally, yes. It's often specific to an individual's preferences.
Can both terms be used interchangeably?
They are similar but have different nuances, so they are not fully interchangeable.
Is Tendency more statistical?
It can be, indicating how often something generally occurs.
Is Inclination less predictable?
It can be, as it is based on personal preference.
Can Tendency apply to groups?
Yes, it often can be observed across a group of people.
Is Tendency fixed?
Not necessarily, but it is often more stable.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Abstractionism vs. Expressionism
Next Comparison
Toa vs. PoaAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
