propensity
noun
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You'll Like the Etymology of Propensity
When it comes to synonyms of propensity, the letter "p" predominates. Proclivity, preference, penchant, and predilection all share with propensity the essential meaning of "a strong instinct or liking." Not every word that is similar in meaning to propensity begins with "p," however. Propensity comes from Latin propensus, the past participle of propendēre, a verb meaning "to incline" or "to hang forward or down." Thus leaning and inclination are as good synonyms of propensity as any of those "p"-words.
Synonyms
- aptness
- proneness
- tendency
- way
Example Sentences
Claudia Wallis, Time, 10 May 2004 On the other hand, a jury might be convinced that a meth dealer who had brazenly fired a pistol through his door had a propensity for violence. John Cloud, Time, 14 July 2003 A central tenet of this camp's proponents is that a considerable number of biological dispositions evolved during the Stone Age, including a male propensity for making war. Bruce Bower, Science News, 27 Jan. 2001 He had a propensity for crime. the criminal propensities of the family extended over several generations CBS News, 31 Aug. 2022 Recent research indicates that the new coronavirus also has the propensity to stick around. Marla Broadfoot, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Aug. 2022 Because Mack was believed to be armed and to have a propensity for violence, the State Police Special Tactical Operations Team, or STOP Team, arrived at the scene about noon and set up a tactical perimeter, Mason said. Matt Yan, BostonGlobe.com, 27 July 2022 Yet racial or ethnic groups do sometimes have a greater propensity for certain health problems. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 26 July 2022 In times like these, most people have a propensity to overcorrect, but that’s a big mistake that can leave you out of position when the market rebounds. Sal Rehmetullah, Forbes, 22 June 2022 In the past, some police urged the use of artificial intelligence software to comb through school records, gun purchases and other data to flag youth who might have a propensity to commit violence. Tim Meko, Washington Post, 3 June 2022 In the past, some police urged the use of artificial intelligence software to comb through school records, gun purchases and other data to flag youth who might have a propensity to commit violence. Ariana Eunjung Cha, Meghan Hoyer And Tim Meko, Anchorage Daily News, 3 June 2022 For example, the researchers discovered that though most of the Labrador retrievers rarely howled, 8 percent of owners reported their Lab had a propensity for howling. Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 28 Apr. 2022 See More Word History
borrowed from New Latin prōpensitāt-, prōpensitās, from Latin prōpensus "weighted down, inclined, having a disposition or tendency" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at propense
1570, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
propensity
noun
propensity
noun
Synonyms & Similar Words
- tendency
- proneness
- way
- proclivity
- aptness
- predilection
- penchant
- predisposition
- inclination
- affinity
- aptitude
- disposition
- habit
- practice
- turn
- bent
- partiality
- leaning
- idiosyncrasy
- pattern
- eccentricity
- quirk
- mind-set
- peculiarity
- custom
- wont
- routine
- singularity
- trick
- practise
- oddity
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- disinclination
- dislike
- indisposition
- averseness
Synonyms & Similar Words
- tendency
- inclination
- aptitude
- devices
- affinity
- proclivity
- predilection
- penchant
- predisposition
- affection
- knack
- impulse
- disposition
- bias
- preference
- leaning
- addiction
- bent
- talent
- partiality
- appetite
- genius
- turn
- bone
- habitude
- gift
- prejudice
- flair
- like
- liking
- fondness
- partisanship
- endowment
- taste
- habit
- favor
- idiosyncrasy
- eccentricity
- faculty
- one-sidedness
- practice
- quirk
- speciality
- peculiarity
- fancy
- pattern
- forte
- specialty
- singularity
- custom
- wont
- convention
- routine
- trick
- oddity
- way
- kink
- practise
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- aversion
- disinclination
- distaste
- dislike
- allergy
- indifference
- neutrality
- averseness
- impartiality
- objectivity
- disfavor
- detachment
- disrelish
- disliking
- apathy
- nonchalance
- unconcern
- insouciance
- disinterestedness
Synonym Chooser
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.
The meanings of leaning and propensity largely overlap; however, leaning suggests a liking or attraction not strong enough to be decisive or uncontrollable.
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.
The synonyms proclivity and propensity are sometimes interchangeable, but proclivity suggests a strong natural proneness usually to something objectionable or evil.