propensity
Other forms: propensities
A propensity is a natural tendency to behave in a certain way. We all have propensities — things we tend to do. Dogs have a propensity to bark, and many people have a propensity for getting annoyed by it.
If you have a propensity for something, then it's something that comes naturally to you or something you just do a lot. Some people have a propensity to laugh. Other people have a propensity for making others laugh, or for being generous, or for getting angry. It's hard to change your propensities. Sometimes a propensity is a bad thing, as in a criminal with a propensity for theft or murder.
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a natural inclinationsynonyms: leaning, proclivitytype of:disposition, inclination, tendencyan attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others
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an inclination to do somethingtype of:inclinationthat toward which you are inclined to feel a liking
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a disposition to behave in a certain way“the propensity of disease to spread”synonyms: aptnesstype of:dispositiona natural or acquired habit or characteristic tendency in a person or thing
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Vocabulary lists containing propensity
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After having a child out of wedlock, Hester Prynne is shunned by her Puritan community and forced to wear a scarlet "A" on her clothing — but Hester is not the only one who has transgressed. This classic novel explores guilt, sin, and hypocrisy.