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How does the noun propensity contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of propensity are leaning, penchant, and proclivity. While all these words mean "a strong instinct or liking for something," propensity implies a deeply ingrained and usually irresistible inclination.

a propensity to offer advice

When is it sensible to use leaning instead of propensity?

The meanings of leaning and propensity largely overlap; however, leaning suggests a liking or attraction not strong enough to be decisive or uncontrollable.

a student with artistic leanings

When can penchant be used instead of propensity?

The words penchant and propensity are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, penchant implies a strongly marked taste in the person or an irresistible attraction in the object.

a penchant for taking risks

When could proclivity be used to replace propensity?

The synonyms proclivity and propensity are sometimes interchangeable, but proclivity suggests a strong natural proneness usually to something objectionable or evil.

a proclivity for violence

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of propensity Adobe is betting on a new generation of creatives’ propensity for doing everything on their phones, so what could make more sense than a Photoshop Mobile app? Michael Muchmore, PCMAG, 25 Feb. 2025 His Tritons are 24-4 this season, one of the best mid-major teams in America and a potential Cinderella in the NCAA Tournament because of their sturdy offense (No. 50 in KenPom’s adjusted efficiency rankings) and propensity for turning teams over. Cj Moore, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025 Bamboo fabric can come in a variety of blends and weaves that will change the texture, softness, breathability, and general propensity for wrinkling. Nora Taylor, Architectural Digest, 20 Feb. 2025 That is the finding of a new study from Palisade Research, shared exclusively with TIME ahead of its publication on Feb. 19, which evaluated seven state-of-the-art AI models for their propensity to hack. Harry Booth, TIME, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for propensity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for propensity
Noun
  • In his new biography of Barnes, Blake Gopnik foregrounds this democratic ethos, focusing specifically on the philanthropist’s contributions to building racial equality—despite Barnes’s notoriously cantankerous personality and his tendency toward invective and slur.
    Kelly Presutti, ARTnews.com, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Spelling has opened up about her hydrophobic tendencies before, revealing in an April episode of misSPELLING that she had been hospitalized twice over several months for fainting.
    Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This told them that all coral structures take their shape from individual polyps’ microscopic inclinations.
    Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 26 Feb. 2025
  • His geopolitical inclinations have not changed, and his antidemocratic tendencies have only gotten worse.
    HAL BRANDS, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • His aptitude for pitching, Cotham said, was more advanced than anyone he’s known at that age.
    Matt Gelb, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Jordan Bianchi and Jeff Gluck, The Athletic: Gluck took Christopher Bell, citing the upped numbers of Toyotas on the road this year and Bell’s aptitude as an all-around racer.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The combination of IoT and AI enables connected devices to collect, analyze and act on data in real-time.
    Rahul Saluja, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
  • Just in time for Christmas, certain members of Congress are hard at work in their policy shops, fashioning a massive lump of cybersecurity coal with which to gift American users of electronic devices.
    David Williams, National Review, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Although Baytown does not have any historical affinity with aerospace, its location on the water offers far more straightforward access to Relativity's test facilities in Mississippi and its launch site in Florida.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The widespread affinity for the familiar dessert is part of a larger movement of bakers leaning into personal influences and away from strictly European baking traditions.
    Sam Stone, Bon Appétit, 14 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Propensity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/propensity. Accessed 17 Mar. 2025.

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