TEN-duhn-seez
/ˈtɛndənsiz/
tendencies is pronounced TEN-duhn-seez (/ˈtɛndənsiz/). Tendencies refers to inclinations or predispositions toward particular behaviors or patterns. It denotes a general direction or propensity observed in a person, group, or phenomenon, rather than a fixed outcome. The term is often used in analysis, psychology, and everyday observation to describe recurring dispositions.
Tendencies refers to inclinations or predispositions toward particular behaviors or patterns. It denotes a general direction or propensity observed in a person, group, or phenomenon, rather than a fixed outcome. The term is often used in analysis, psychology, and everyday observation to describe recurring dispositions.
"Her tendencies toward perfectionism became evident in how meticulously she organized her notes."
"The data show certain seasonal tendencies in consumer behavior."
"In medicine, genetic tendencies may influence susceptibility to specific conditions."
Pronounced /ˈtɛn.dən.siːz/. The primary stress is on the first syllable, with the middle syllable reduced to a schwa-like sound. The final -cies sounds as -sees /-siːz/. Shape your mouth to a light, unstressed schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, then glide into a clear /siːz/ at the end. If you’re saying quickly, think: TEN-dən-SEEZ. Audio reference you can check includes major dictionaries and pronunciation sites.
Two common errors are misplacing the stress or mispronouncing the final -cies as /-sɪz/ instead of /-siːz/. Some speakers reduce the second syllable too much, sounding as /ˈtɛn.dən.zɪz/. The correct final is a long e sound: /siːz/. Practice by isolating the ending: /siːz/ with a clear long 'ee' rather than a short /ɪ/.
US/UK/AU share the same primary stress on the first syllable /ˈtɛn/ but vowel quality can vary. In many US accents, the final /siːz/ maintains a long vowel; UK RP often keeps the same final vowel quality, but with subtle rounding or less vowel shortening in connected speech. Australian speakers may exhibit a slightly flatter intonation and a clear /ː/ length on the final vowel. Overall, rhoticity affects the middle /dən/ realization minimally in all three, though non-rhotics may have a softer /ɜː/.
The difficulty lies in the sequence of unstressed vs stressed syllables: the first syllable carries primary stress, while the -dən- middle is reduced to a schwa, then a long vowel in -cies is pronounced /siːz/. Also, the cluster /-dn-/ can be tricky: you’re producing a light /d/ followed by a nasal alveolar /n/ quickly. Tip: practice a strong initial /tɛns/ leading into /dən/ and then glide into /siːz/. IPA cues help you lock the final vowel length.
A useful tip is to think of the word as TEN-dən-seez: keep the first syllable distinctly stressed, allow the middle to relax into a quick /dən/ and ensure the final vowel is a long /iː/ before /z/. In connected speech, you may hear a brief /d/, almost like /tən-dən-seez/ with a light touch between. This subtle timing helps avoid conflating with similar words like ‘tendency’ or ‘tendency’s’ possessive form.
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Tendencies comes from the noun tendency, formed in English from the French tendre (to tend) and the suffix -ency, which creates nouns indicating a state, condition, or quality. The root tendre is linked to Latin tendere (to stretch, strive, extend). The English word tendency appeared in the late 16th to early 17th century, evolving from notions of stretching toward a direction or inclination. The plural -ies marks the noun as abstract quality or state. Over time, tendencies broadened from physical orientation to behavioral, statistical, and probabilistic connotations. The sense expanded from “the act of tending” to a propensity or general direction, commonly used in psychology, sociology, statistics, and everyday observation. Early uses often described physical inclinations or alterations in motion, but modern usage frequently denotes habitual patterns, predispositions, or observable trends in groups or individuals. The term is now standard in academic and analytical writing to denote recurring dispositions rather than absolute rules. The first known written attestations appear in English texts from the 1600s, aligning with both scientific discourse and formal rhetoric of the period. Historically, it paralleled phrases like tendency toward or propensity, gradually consolidating into a staple of analytical vocabulary.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "tendencies" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "tendencies"
-ies sounds
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