inclined
Americanadjective
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deviating in direction from the horizontal or vertical; sloping.
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disposed; of a mind (usually followed byto ).
He was inclined to stay.
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having a physical tendency; leaning.
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tending in a direction that makes an angle with anything else.
adjective
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having a disposition; tending
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sloping or slanting
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inclined
First recorded in 1350–1400, inclined is from the Middle English word enclyned. See incline, -ed 2
Explanation
If you're inclined to do something, you want to do it, you like doing it, and you may even have an inherent talent for doing it. Alternatively, if the sidewalk outside your house is inclined, that means it slopes upward. Inclined means that you're likely to do something, you're leaning toward doing it, or you do it habitually. If you're inclined to eat too much at Thanksgiving, you're not alone. If you're inclined to want to join the Iditarod dog sled race, get a warm jacket. Inclined can also be an adjective describing something that's at an angle. If a ramp is inclined, it's on a slant, sloping up toward something else.
Vocabulary lists containing inclined
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
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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 selloff came after The New York Times reported that OpenAI was inclined to delay its public offering until 2027, citing three people involved in the matter.
From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026
“In the bigger scheme of things, I’m more inclined to be a buyer in today’s market than a seller,” she said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026
No notes of caution as the attack-minded Rogers replaced the more defensively inclined Declan Rice, Marcus Rashford replaced Anthony Gordon and Saka replaced his Arsenal team-mate Madueke.
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
“What if you considered this other perspective?” most of them ask, neglecting to realize that most people won’t be inclined to think harder unless they’re presented with more than a suggestion.
From Salon • Jun. 15, 2026
Fabyan and Gallup had both died in the 1930s, so there was no reason not to be honest about their failures, but the Friedmans were inclined to be generous, too.
From "The Woman All Spies Fear" by Amy Butler Greenfield
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.
