tendency

/ˈtɛndənsi/
noun
  1. A natural likelihood or habit of behaving or thinking in a particular way.
    • My dog has a tendency to bark at the mail carrier.
    • She has a tendency to arrive late to meetings.
    • He showed a tendency to avoid difficult conversations.
  2. A general direction in which something is changing or developing.
    • There is a growing tendency toward remote work.
    • Scientists observed a tendency for temperatures to increase in the region.
    • The stock market has a tendency to rise over the long term.