What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
leaning
Example
The tower was leaning dangerously to one side. [leaning: verb]
Example
I have a leaning towards classical music. [leaning: noun]
Example
I'm leaning towards taking a gap year before starting college. [leaning: present participle]
tendency
Example
She has a tendency to procrastinate when faced with a difficult task. [tendency: noun]
Example
There is a tendency for prices to rise during the holiday season. [tendency: noun]
Example
The economy has shown a tendency towards growth in recent years. [tendency: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Tendency is more commonly used than leaning in everyday language. Tendency is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while leaning is less common and often used in informal contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between leaning and tendency?
While leaning is typically associated with a casual and informal tone, tendency is more versatile and can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
