inclination

UK: /ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃ^ən/ US: /ˌɪnkləˈneɪʃən/ ,(in′klə nā′shən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•cli•na•tion /ˌɪnkləˈneɪʃən/   n. [countable]

1. a special liking or feeling for something:
   a great inclination for sports.
2. the act of moving from a higher place down;
   the state of being moved this way:
   an inclination of the head.
3. an inclined surface.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•cli•na•tion  (in′klə nā′shən), n. 

1. a disposition or bent, esp. of the mind or will;
   a liking or preference:
   Much against his inclination, he was forced to resign.
2. something to which one is inclined:
   In sports his inclination is tennis.
3. the act of inclining;
   state of being inclined.
4. a tendency toward a certain condition, action, etc.:
   the door's inclination to stick.
5. deviation or amount of deviation from a normal, esp. horizontal or vertical, direction or position.
6. an inclined surface.
7. [Geom.]
   • Mathematics the angle between two lines or two planes.
   • Mathematics the angle formed by the x-axis and a given line.
8. 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.
9. Electricity [Magnetism.] dip (def. 32).

• Latin inclīnātiōn- (stem of inclīnātiō), equivalent. to inclīnāt(us) past participle of inclīnāre (see incline, -ate¹) + -iōn- -ion
• Middle English inclinacioun 1350–1400

in′cli•na′tion•al, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. leaning, tendency; propensity, proclivity, predilection, predisposition, penchant.
• 5, 6. slope, slant, rise, fall, grade, pitch.
• 6. ramp.

Antonyms

• 1. dislike.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

inclination / ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃən/ noun

1. often followed by for, to, towards, or an infinitive: a particular disposition, esp a liking or preference; tendency: I've no inclination for such dull work
2. the degree of deviation from a particular plane, esp a horizontal or vertical plane
3. a sloping or slanting surface; incline
4. the act of inclining or the state of being inclined
5. the act of bowing or nodding the head
6. another name for dip28

ˌincliˈnational adjective