a negative inclination

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a negative inclination" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a tendency or predisposition towards negative thoughts, feelings, or actions. Example: "Her negative inclination towards criticism often affected her relationships with colleagues."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Except for a few samples with a very severe drilling induced overprint (Fig. 2(b)), most of the samples revealed a ChRM with a negative inclination.

Earth, Planets and Space

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

This was true of all teeth except for the second molars, which had a more negative inclination in our sample (Table 6).

Progress in Orthodontics

The seven-item ARTQ (Fallowfield et al, 1998) measures a positive or negative inclination towards (1) medical research in general; (2) a personal willingness to be involved in research; and (3) personal involvement in research involving randomisation.

British Journal of Cancer

A negative body inclination angle causes an opposite effect.

Robotics and Biomimetics

Solid symbols indicate positive inclination, and empty symbols negative inclination of natural remanent magnetization.

Geochemical Transactions

rates Negative inclination Younger than 23.4 ka ash bed  Peck et al. (1996) Lake Baikal, Siberia 19 20 AMS 14C, sed.

Earth, Planets and Space

Together with the available age constraint of the samples, the negative inclination indicates that the samples were likely to have formed during the Matuyama interval.

Earth, Planets and Space

A reasonable criteria for the sectional design was the intersection point between the positive and negative inclination curves for the tensile strength and modulus of elasticity for the D13, D16, and D19 specimens, respectively.

International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials

The local (i.e. within the text span) targets, however – those boldened in the excerpt above – remain at the level of implied possessions of the 'real' target: your fear, suspicion or doubt (to which the writer expresses positive Inclination about hearing directly), and the poverty of our exchange (to which the writer expresses negative Inclination about hearing their echoes).

Functional Linguistics

We find significance with mixed sign for number of permanent full-time workers and negative inclination for capacity utilization, which points to the fact that the economy has capacities for employment that have not been reached in full yet and are inducing labor-intensive investments seen through reduced capacity utilization which eventually pressures domestic exports (La Porta and Shleifer 2014).

Journal of Economic Structures

So, if I want to be allowed to be on a high horse of any form, I better earn it by mastering those negative inclinations in myself.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a negative inclination", consider the specific context to ensure your phrasing aligns with the intended meaning. It's suitable for describing tendencies in human behavior, but can also be applied to abstract concepts.

Common error

Avoid using "a negative inclination" as a blanket term for all things bad. Provide specific examples of what this negative inclination manifests as for greater clarity and impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a negative inclination" functions as a noun phrase, where "negative" modifies the noun "inclination". This phrase typically describes a tendency, disposition, or leaning toward something unfavorable. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

6%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Wiki

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a negative inclination" is a grammatically sound expression used to describe a leaning or tendency towards something unfavorable. Ludwig AI affirms its correctness and usability. It commonly appears in scientific and news contexts, reflecting a neutral to formal register. While the phrase is versatile, it's crucial to use it with specificity to avoid overgeneralizations. Considering alternative phrases like "pessimistic tendency" or "downward trend" can further refine your message. The phrase appears in authoritative sources like The Guardian, Huffington Post and The New York Times.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a pessimistic tendency

Replaces 'inclination' with 'tendency' and 'negative' with 'pessimistic' to emphasize a general disposition towards negativity.

a downward trend

Uses 'trend' instead of 'inclination' to suggest a direction or pattern that's going downwards, often in a figurative sense.

a propensity for negativity

Substitutes 'inclination' with 'propensity' and uses 'negativity' to focus on the quality of being negative.

a bias toward pessimism

Replaces 'inclination' with 'bias' and 'negative' with 'pessimism' to indicate a leaning towards a pessimistic outlook.

a predisposition to unfavorable views

Uses 'predisposition' to suggest an existing tendency, and 'unfavorable views' to describe the negative outlook.

a leaning towards adverse outcomes

Focuses on 'adverse outcomes' to emphasize the negative consequences that are expected or anticipated.

a disposition for cynicism

Uses 'disposition' and 'cynicism' to highlight a skeptical or distrustful attitude.

a tendency to expect the worst

Replaces the more formal 'inclination' with a more conversational expression about anticipating negative results.

an adverse predisposition

Swaps words with comparable semantic meaning of 'negative' and 'inclination'.

a pessimistic bent

Replaces 'inclination' with 'bent', both referring to a natural talent or tendency, and 'negative' with 'pessimistic'.

FAQs

How can I use "a negative inclination" in a sentence?

You can use "a negative inclination" to describe a tendency towards pessimism, doubt, or unfavorable outcomes. For example: "His "a negative inclination" towards new projects often stalled innovation."

What's a good alternative to "a negative inclination"?

Consider alternatives like "a pessimistic tendency", "a downward trend", or "a propensity for negativity", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "negative inclination" or "positive inclination"?

Both "negative inclination" and "positive inclination" are grammatically correct, but their appropriateness depends on the context. Use "negative inclination" to describe a tendency towards negativity and "positive inclination" to describe a tendency towards optimism or favorability.

Can "a negative inclination" apply to objects or only to people?

"A negative inclination" can apply to both people and objects. For people, it describes a disposition. For objects or trends, it describes a downward or unfavorable direction.