inclination

American  

[in-kluh-nay-shuhn] / ˌɪn kləˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

• inclinations
  plural

1. a disposition or bent, especially of the mind or will; a liking or preference.

   Much against his inclination, he was forced to resign.

   Synonyms:

   penchant, predisposition, predilection, proclivity, propensity, tendency, leaning

   Antonyms:

   dislike

2. something to which one is inclined.

   In sports his inclination is tennis.

3. the act of inclining; state of being inclined.

4. a tendency toward a certain condition, action, etc..

   the door's inclination to stick.

5. deviation or amount of deviation from a normal, especially horizontal or vertical, direction or position.

   Synonyms:

   pitch, grade, fall, rise, slant, slope

6. an inclined surface.

   Synonyms:

   ramp, pitch, grade, fall, rise, slant, slope

7. Geometry.

   1. the angle between two lines or two planes.

   2. the angle formed by the x-axis and a given line.

8. Astronomy.

   1. the angle between the orbital plane of a planet and another given plane, usually the ecliptic.

   2. the angle between the equatorial and orbital planes of a planet.

9. Magnetism. dip.

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inclination British  

/ ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. a particular disposition, esp a liking or preference; tendency

   I've no inclination for such dull work

2. the degree of deviation from a particular plane, esp a horizontal or vertical plane

3. a sloping or slanting surface; incline

4. the act of inclining or the state of being inclined

5. the act of bowing or nodding the head

6. maths

   1. the angle between a line on a graph and the positive limb of the x- axis

   2. the smaller dihedral angle between one plane and another

7. astronomy the angle between the plane of the orbit of a planet or comet and another plane, usually that of the ecliptic

8. physics another name for dip

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inclination Scientific  

/ ĭn′klə-nā′shən /

1. A deviation or the degree of deviation from the horizontal or vertical.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• noninclination
  noun
• overinclination
  noun
• superinclination
  noun
• inclinational
  adjective
• noninclinational
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• inclinations
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of inclination

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English inclinacioun, from Latin inclīnātiōn-, stem of inclīnātiō, from inclīnāt(us) “caused to bend” (past participle of inclīnāre “to cause to bend”; see incline) + -iō -ion

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Explanation

You can see the word "incline" inside inclination, which clues you in to the fact that inclination has to do with leaning. Sometimes the inclination is literal; in most cases it's about what you incline toward in a figurative sense. An inclination is something you are leaning toward, a tendency you have. You could have a specific inclination for chocolate, or you could have an inclination that applies to a decision you are about to make: "Looking at this dessert menu, my inclination is to skip everything and just go home and have a chocolate bar."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

inclination inclinations

“If people have that inclination, they are going to have it no matter what you do about it.”

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026

And yet the movie’s central storyline hints at writer-director Bassam Tariq’s inclination to subvert his own brooding-antihero saga, allowing room for unpredictability and the slightest whiff of impish irreverence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

But it’s the inclination to bang the gavel and move on that irks me.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

Teams can still run straight through Liverpool, but Iraola showed no inclination to make a signing in that position.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

My boss’s wife, when she had the time and the inclination to talk, would tell me many interesting things.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

And the postmeeting press conference could be especially revealing of Warsh’s policy and style inclinations.

From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026

If being an American of approximately liberal inclinations in the 21st century seems to require constant public apologies, some disgruntled Yanks actually are exploring their escape options.

From Salon ● May 31, 2026

A lot is riding on the economic-policy inclinations of the victors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 31, 2025

The parents at home didn’t share their children’s political inclinations.

From Slate ● Dec. 2, 2025

She knows full well what it’s like to tamp down your natural inclinations, to force a smile when you feel numb.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

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Related Words

• affection
• appetite
• aptitude
• bias
• capability
• desire
• disposition
• impulse
• leaning
• penchant
• predilection
• predisposition
• preference
• prejudice
• proclivity
• propensity
• temperament

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