Words / B2

TREND/trend/

A trend is a general direction of change: an upward trend; a trend towards. Tendency is a likelihood of behaviour (already in the dictionary); pattern is wider. Describe the trend in the graph, not a single outlier. Mix-up: tend (already elsewhere); trendy is fashion slang. Do not call one data point a trend.

Meaning

A general direction of change over time.

Examples

• “Describe the trend in the graph, not a single outlier, the geography paper said.”
• “A trend towards later leaving ages featured in the table, which is the direction-of-change sense.”

Good to know

an upward / downward trend; a trend towards / in. Close: pattern. Behaviour-likelihood: tendency. Trap: trendy / one point. Graphs, news, and economics. A direction over time, not a blip.

Near in meaning

pattern

New