[ + to infinitive ] She's inherited from her father a propensity to talk too much.
He's well-known for his natural propensity for indiscretion.
Synonyms
proclivity formal
Meaning of propensity in English
(Definition of propensity from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)
propensity | Intermediate English
propensity | Business English
if someone has a propensity to behave in a particular way or prefer a particular thing, they are likely to behave in that way or like that thing:
Examples of propensity
propensity
Boys and girls, taken as groups, have different interests, propensities, and needs.
From The Atlantic
And once in them, he couldn't avoid his propensity to stumble over his own tongue.
From CNN
He has the propensity to burn a cornerback deep at any time.
From The Denver Post
Data from multiple countries show that high temperatures make small-scale personal conflicts more likely, probably because heat affects individuals' propensity for aggressive behavior.
From Los Angeles Times
They bemoan the propensity for candidates to simply parrot the party line for fear of disaffecting party voters.
From Huffington Post
But female cinema-goers were just as likely to be seen as a problem, given their supposed propensity for wearing big hats and chatting.
From Slate Magazine
But some people fall in love more often, or find themselves more dependent on their partner, as result of their childhoods or genetic propensities.
From Huffington Post
Although his propensity to delegate and disengage after setting a clear course usually served him well, it sometimes turned out badly.
From Heritage.org
My commitment to resolve my personal issues, which includes my codependent propensity, is the basis and inspiration for this chapter.
From Huffington Post
Well on the way to do you know on policy -- propensity it was like a film warm.
From ABC News
Still, the potential propensity for gold to sniff out bad news earlier has some investors feeling less sure about holding stocks.
From CNBC
Others are millennials -- a generation known for a propensity to share -- who are banding together with friends to acquire homes they otherwise couldn't afford.
From The Denver Post
Snap was born mobile and has shown a propensity for rapid mobile product innovation.
From Business Insider
Perhaps, that is why the propensity has been difficult to subjugate?
From New York Times
And just as clearly, many with such a propensity to mental illness become farmers, salesmen and business executives.
From Los Angeles Times
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
