trend
Americannoun
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the general course or prevailing tendency; drift.
trends in the teaching of foreign languages; the trend of events.
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style or vogue.
the new trend in women's apparel.
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the general direction followed by a road, river, coastline, or the like.
verb (used without object)
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to have a general tendency, as events, conditions, etc.
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to tend to take a particular direction; extend in some direction indicated.
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to emerge as a popular trend; be currently popular.
words that have trended this year.
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Digital Technology. to be widely mentioned or discussed on the internet, especially in posts on social media websites.
news stories that are trending online.
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to veer or turn off in a specified direction, as a river, mountain range, etc..
The river trends toward the southeast.
noun
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general tendency or direction
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fashion; mode
verb
Synonym Usage
See tendency.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has trendedperfect 3rd person singular
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have trendedperfect
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are trendingprogressive
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have been trendingperfect progressive
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is trendingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been trendingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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am trendingprogressive 1st person singular
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trendssingular 3rd person
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trendingparticiple
Past
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had trendedperfect
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were trendingprogressive plural
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had been trendingperfect progressive
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was trendingprogressive singular
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trendedparticiple
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trendedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of trend
First recorded before 1000; Middle English trenden “to turn, roll,” Old English trendan; akin to Old English trinde “ball,” Dutch trent “circumference,” Swedish trind “round;” see trindle, trundle
Explanation
A trend is what's hip or popular at a certain point in time. While a trend usually refers to a certain style in fashion or entertainment, there could be a trend toward warmer temperatures (if people are following trends associated with global warming). A trend simply reflects what seems to be going around at any given time. A trend can be in any area and doesn't only reflect fashion, pop culture and entertainment. There can also be a trend in the stock market to be bullish or bearish, depending on economic indicators, or a political trend reflecting a nation’s current mood. Some trends are fun, some fabulous, some appalling, but however long they last, you can be sure there will always be a new trend coming along to replace the old.
Vocabulary lists containing trend
The Scientific Method
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The Catcher in the Rye
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Word Generation Science - Introductory Chemistry Concepts
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The trend is going in the wrong direction, though.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
Xi added that he had reached an "important consensus" with Kim to "grasp the trend of the times" and deepen both high-level exchanges and people-to-people bonds.
From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026
After a long decline spanning decades, the share of teens working summer jobs is expected to hit a record low this year — a disturbing trend that can have ominous repercussions for their future earnings.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
It was during the show’s “Snack Attack” segment when Oswalt dissed on food bowls, specifically calling out KFC for kick-starting such a heinous eating trend.
From Salon • Jun. 8, 2026
Subtle and delicate was not the jewelry trend back then.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
