tendency

an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others

• “he had an inclination to give up too easily”
• “a tendency to be too strict”

an inclination to do something

• “he felt leanings toward frivolity”

a characteristic likelihood of or natural disposition toward a certain condition or character or effect

• “the alkaline inclination of the local waters”
• “fabric with a tendency to shrink”

a general direction in which something tends to move

• “the shoreward tendency of the current”
• “the trend of the stock market”