trend

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a prevailing tendency or inclination : drift
current trends in education
b
: a general movement : swing
the trend toward suburban living
c
: a current style or preference : vogue
new fashion trends
d
: a line of development : approach
new trends in cancer research
2
: the general movement over time of a statistically detectable change
also : a statistical curve reflecting such a change
3
: a line of general direction or movement
the trend of the coast turned toward the west

trend

2 of 2

verb

trended; trending; trends

intransitive verb

1
a
: to show a tendency : incline
prices trending upward
b
: to become deflected : shift
opinions trending toward conservatism
2
a
: to extend in a general direction : follow a general course
mountain ranges trending north and south
b
: to veer in a new direction : bend
a coastline that trends westward
3
: to generate or attract a lot of interest or attention especially online and in social media
a trending news story
… a database that combs about 42 sources, including blogs, social media, peer-to-peer sites, video destinations, Twitter and popular Web sites to present a complete view of how brands, topics and ideas are trending online.Daisy Whitney
Choose the Right Synonym for trend

tendency, trend, drift, tenor, current mean movement in a particular direction.

tendency implies an inclination sometimes amounting to an impelling force.

a general tendency toward inflation

trend applies to the general direction maintained by a winding or irregular course.

the long-term trend of the stock market is upward

drift may apply to a tendency determined by external forces

the drift of the population away from large cities

or it may apply to an underlying or obscure trend of meaning or discourse.

got the drift of her argument

tenor stresses a clearly perceptible direction and a continuous, undeviating course.

the tenor of the times

current implies a clearly defined but not necessarily unalterable course.

an encounter that changed the current of my life

Examples of trend in a Sentence

Noun the downward trend of the stock market Digital technology is the latest trend in television. There is a disturbing trend toward obesity in children. Verb during the winter our school system trends toward canceling school at the drop of a hat—or at least a snowflake the river trends east, then west again, forming an oxbow
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Today’s Paper | Subscribe Explore Our Style Coverage The latest in fashion, trends, love and more. Mattie Kahn, New York Times, 23 Mar. 2024 Large swaths of the ACP’s user base trend older; Americans over 65 account for almost 20% of the program. Brian Fung, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024 That trend started to reverse prior to COVID-19, according to Pew Research Center, but migration remained much lower than levels seen in the 1980s and ’90s, when Mexico faced historic political shifts and acute economic crises. Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Mar. 2024 The trend line is noteworthy because the Middle East has a long history of local armed groups evolving into national militias, such as Hamas; Hezbollah, in Lebanon; and the Houthis, in Yemen. Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2024 Discover, and shop, our full edit of the key spring 2024 shoe trends, below. Talia Abbas, Vogue, 22 Mar. 2024 This spring, Washington, D.C.’s beloved cherry blossom trees reached their earliest peak bloom in more than two decades, a consequence of an abnormally warm winter, consistent with climate change trends. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Mar. 2024 Perry Township reflects a nationwide trend of school districts purchasing new artificial intelligence, or AI, software to help detect weapons in schools, as a way to prevent the increasingly violent environment in which teens live from entering their schools. Caroline Beck, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Mar. 2024 To reverse that downward trend, Horne asked the Legislature to increase teacher salaries. Nick Sullivan, The Arizona Republic, 12 Mar. 2024
Verb
Katie Wiseman is a trending news intern at IndyStar. Katie Wiseman, The Indianapolis Star, 25 Mar. 2024 The wind calms down a bit this afternoon, and Monday and Tuesday trend a touch milder with light winds. Molly Robey, Washington Post, 24 Mar. 2024 Aliza covers trending news, often focusing on crime and politics. Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2024 Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. USA TODAY, 23 Mar. 2024 Granted, that’s a lot of baggage to affix to a movie that spends a little less than 90 minutes showcasing Sweeney – who at this point seems to trend daily on social media – and unnerving opening-weekend audiences, in roughly that order. Brian Lowry, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 In the never-ending merry-go-round of trending dietary supplements (Buy charcoal to detox your body! Antara Sinha, Bon Appétit, 21 Mar. 2024 There’s some chance skies trend a bit cloudier at times, hopefully not enough to ruin the Nice Day stamp. Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 Here's where to get glasses John Tufts covers trending news for the Indianapolis Star. John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, to turn, revolve, from Old English trendan; akin to Middle High German trendel disk, spinning top

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1777, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Time Traveler
The first known use of trend was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near trend

Cite this Entry

“Trend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trend. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

trend

1 of 2 verb
1
: to extend in a general direction
2
: to show a tendency : incline

trend

2 of 2 noun
1
: general direction taken
the easterly trend of the shoreline
2
a
: a general tendency or movement
economic trends
b
: a current style or liking
new fashion trends

More from Merriam-Webster on trend

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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