tend toward

[/tend təˈwɔrd/]
verb phrase
tender a; inclinar-se para; ter tendência a
1. to be inclined or likely to do something; to move or develop in a particular direction
People tend toward making safer choices as they age.
As pessoas tendem a fazer escolhas mais seguras conforme envelhecem.
2. to have a natural tendency or inclination toward something
The weather tends toward cold in December.
O tempo tende para o frio em dezembro.
3. to move gradually or steadily in a direction
Modern architecture tends toward minimalism.
A arquitetura moderna inclina-se para o minimalismo.
This phrase is used similarly in both American English and Brazilian Portuguese to describe behavioral patterns, preferences, and natural inclinations. It's a common expression in academic and professional contexts across both cultures.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
lean towardincline towardgravitate towardhave a tendency tobe disposed to
Antonyms / Antônimos
resistavoidmove away from

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
tender a; inclinar-se para; ter tendência a
Most common usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
tender a; levar para
Sometimes uses 'levar para' in informal speech
São Paulo
tender a; inclinar para
Standard formal usage
Portugal
tender a; inclinar-se para
Similar usage to Brazil but with slightly different word order preferences

Related Words

tendencyinclinationpropensitybentproclivitylean

Related Idioms & Phrases

tend toward the conservative
tend toward excess
tend toward silence
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →