Inclination Meaning and Definition

Pronunciation

/ɪnˌklɪnˈeɪʃən/ 🔊

Part of Speech

Noun

Definition

A feeling, opinion, or attitude that leans towards something, or a natural tendency or predisposition; a slope, angle, or lean of something.

Etymology

The word “inclination” comes from the Latin “inclinare,” meaning to bend or slope.

Usage Notes

Inclination can be used in a variety of contexts, such as describing a person’s opinion or attitude, or the natural slope of a hill.

For example:

• “I have a strong inclination towards environmentalism.” (person’s opinion or attitude)
• “The house has a natural inclination towards the southeast.” (natural slope or angle)

Cultural References

Inclination has been used in various works of literature, including novels and poetry.

For example:

• William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet” features a character named Ophelia who is prone to inclination.
• Emily Dickinson wrote a poem titled “Inclination” (1862) that explores the concept of inclination in a philosophical sense.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

• “Inclined to agree” means being likely to agree with someone or something.
• “Inclined to disagree” means being likely to disagree with someone or something.

Related Words or Phrases

• Bias
• Tendency
• Lean

Collocations

• “Inclined to” (as in “I am inclined to agree”)
• “With inclination” (as in “She went there with inclination”)

Frequency of Use

Inclination is a relatively common word in modern language, especially in formal and academic contexts.

Common Misspellings

• Inclenate
• Inclinatione