Inclination — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun /ˌin-klə-ˈnā-shən/ in·cli·na·tion

Meaning & Definition of Inclination

Inclination (noun)

  1. a tendency to a particular aspect, state, character, or action
  2. a deviation from the true vertical or horizontal, slant; also, the degree of such deviation
  3. an inclined surface, slope

Inclination (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a habitual attraction to some activity or thing

    "her natural inclination to help people in need"

    similar: affection, affinity, aptitude, bent, bias, bone, devices, disposition, genius, habitude, impulse, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, turn
    related: favor, one-sidedness, partisanship, prejudice, endowment, faculty, flair, gift, knack, talent, addiction, appetite, fancy, fondness, like, liking, preference, taste, forte, speciality, specialty, convention, custom, habit, pattern, practice, routine, trick, way, wont, eccentricity, idiosyncrasy, kink, oddity, peculiarity, quirk, singularity
    near: allergy, averseness, aversion, disfavor, disinclination, dislike, disliking, disrelish, distaste, detachment, impartiality, neutrality, objectivity, apathy, disinterestedness, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern

  2. the act of positioning or an instance of being positioned at an angle

    "the photographer adjusted the inclination of the sitter's head"

    similar: angling, bend, cock, list, tilt, tip
    related: turn, twist, veer, bow, dip, nod

  3. the degree to which something rises up from a position level with the horizon

    "the inclination of the hill is gentle, so walking up it isn't too bad"

    similar: cant, diagonal, grade, gradient, incline, lean, pitch, rake, slant, slope, upgrade
    related: ascent, bank, climb, rise
    near: declension, declination, decline, declivity, descent, dip, downgrade, fall, hang, hanging, receding

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Inclination

The most common words with a similar meaning to Inclination:

affection, affinity, aptitude, bent, bias, bone, devices, disposition, genius, habitude, impulse, leaning, partiality, penchant, predilection, predisposition, proclivity, propensity, tendency, turn, angling, bend, cock, list, tilt, tip, cant, diagonal, grade, gradient, incline, lean, pitch, rake, slant, slope, upgrade

Related Words for Inclination

favor, one-sidedness, partisanship, prejudice, endowment, faculty, flair, gift, knack, talent, addiction, appetite, fancy, fondness, like, liking, preference, taste, forte, speciality, specialty, convention, custom, habit, pattern, practice, routine, trick, way, wont

Near Antonyms of Inclination

allergy, averseness, aversion, disfavor, disinclination, dislike, disliking, disrelish, distaste, detachment, impartiality, neutrality, objectivity, apathy, disinterestedness, indifference, insouciance, nonchalance, unconcern, declension, declination, decline, declivity, descent, dip, downgrade, fall, hang, hanging, receding

Word Forms of Inclination

Derived words: inclinational (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Inclination

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Inclination

Frequently Asked Questions about Inclination

What does "Inclination" mean?

"Inclination" means a tendency to a particular aspect, state, character, or action. As a noun, it is defined as: a tendency to a particular aspect, state, character, or action. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Inclination"?

Other words for "Inclination" include affection, affinity, aptitude, bent, bias, bone, devices and disposition. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Inclination" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Inclination"?

There are 83 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Inclination". Common alternatives include affection, affinity, aptitude, bent, bias, bone, devices, disposition, genius and habitude.

How do you use "Inclination" in a sentence?

Examples of "Inclination" in a sentence: "her natural inclination to help people in need"; "the photographer adjusted the inclination of the sitter's head"; "the inclination of the hill is gentle, so walking up it isn't too bad".

Is "Inclination" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Inclination" is a noun.

Is "Inclination" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Inclination"?

"Inclination" is pronounced /ˌin-klə-ˈnā-shən/ and divided into syllables as in·cli·na·tion.

What is the origin of the word "Inclination"?

First known use: 14th century.