inclination
a disposition or bent, especially of the mind or will; a liking or preference: Much against his inclination, he was forced to resign.
something to which one is inclined: In sports his inclination is tennis.
the act of inclining; state of being inclined.
a tendency toward a certain condition, action, etc.: the door's inclination to stick.
deviation or amount of deviation from a normal, especially horizontal or vertical, direction or position.
an inclined surface.
Geometry.
the angle between two lines or two planes.
the angle formed by the x-axis and a given line.
Astronomy.
the angle between the orbital plane of a planet and another given plane, usually the ecliptic.
the angle between the equatorial and orbital planes of a planet.
Magnetism. dip1 (def. 32).
Origin of inclination
1Other words for inclination
Opposites for inclination
Other words from inclination
- in·cli·na·tion·al, adjective
- non·in·cli·na·tion, noun
- non·in·cli·na·tion·al, adjective
- o·ver·in·cli·na·tion, noun
- su·per·in·cli·na·tion, noun
Words Nearby inclination
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use inclination in a sentence
Grading papers, family obligations and serious drinking left him without much inclination to write.
‘The Queen’s Gambit’ is a bestseller, but its author, Walter Tevis, was hardly a one-hit wonder | Michael Dirda | February 3, 2021 | Washington PostYour natural inclination is to look around and absorb the world, not start running and gunning.
The goal was to understand what prompts people to switch from a run to a walk or vice-versa, and determine whether our natural inclinations also correspond to the most efficient approach.
Yes, Walking Is Sometimes Faster than Running Uphill | Alex Hutchinson | December 27, 2020 | Outside OnlineIt also varies in its inclination, or the angle at which magnetic field lines intersect with the planet’s surface.
How Sea Turtles Find Their Way - Issue 94: Evolving | Jason G. Goldman | December 16, 2020 | NautilusThey drafted Jalen Hurts in the second round and have shown no inclination to significantly use him as a change-of-pace quarterback, which suggests they had some doubts about Wentz’s future back in April.
What to know from NFL Week 11: Carson Wentz looks lost, and Taysom Hill is just getting started | Adam Kilgore | November 23, 2020 | Washington Post
After all, almost everyone with the inclination to vote will show up at a polling place.
Did a Flawed Computer Model Sabotage the Democrats? | Ben Jacobs | November 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThis inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial.
Catholic University’s Harvey Milk Ban Reflects A Church In Transition | Jay Michaelson | October 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe evil inclination is saying in this song, ‘I’m looked at as this bad guy, but you have power, you have control.
The Sisterhood of Bulletproof Stockings: It’s Ladies’ Night for Hasidic Rockers | Emily Shire | September 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThere is the inclination to respond this complaint on legal grounds.
“The inclination of the human heart is evil from youth,” the Yahwist explains.
The Backstory of ‘Noah’ Is Full of Giants, Horny Angels, and a Grieving God | Tim Townsend | March 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe sailors were all in amazement, and asked me a thousand questions, which I had no inclination to answer.
Gulliver's Travels | Jonathan SwiftGarnache bowed to the lady, who returned his greeting by an inclination of the head, and his keen eyes played briskly over her.
St. Martin's Summer | Rafael SabatiniI desire and am endeavoring to be on my guard respecting matters which concern his inclination and not his reason.
It was as though he appeared not to know what to do; what he ought to do; his own wish or inclination having no part in it.
Elster's Folly | Mrs. Henry WoodThe Americans thereupon turned their guns upon the rebels, who showed an inclination to fight.
The Philippine Islands | John Foreman
British Dictionary definitions for inclination
/ (ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃən) /
(often foll by for, to, towards, or an infinitive) a particular disposition, esp a liking or preference; tendency: I've no inclination for such dull work
the degree of deviation from a particular plane, esp a horizontal or vertical plane
a sloping or slanting surface; incline
the act of inclining or the state of being inclined
the act of bowing or nodding the head
maths
the angle between a line on a graph and the positive limb of the x- axis
the smaller dihedral angle between one plane and another
astronomy the angle between the plane of the orbit of a planet or comet and another plane, usually that of the ecliptic
physics another name for dip (def. 28)
Derived forms of inclination
- inclinational, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for inclination
[ ĭn′klə-nā′shən ]
A deviation or the degree of deviation from the horizontal or vertical.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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