as in tendency
a habitual attraction to some activity or thing
left to her own devices she'd eat at a fast-food restaurant every night of the week
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devices
The Entertainment Thanks to high-speed Starlink Wi-Fi available on JSX flights, travelers are free to stream and browse directly on their personal devices.
—
Annie Archer,
Travel + Leisure,
7 July 2026
As more Florida seniors use wearables like continuous glucose monitors, remote blood pressure monitors, smartwatches and fitness trackers, concern grows about who has access to the data these devices collect.
—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Miami Herald,
6 July 2026
The work centers on new devices that simplify the integration of electronics, which process information using electricity, with photonics, which transmit information using light.
—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
6 July 2026
Students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade are not allowed to use devices during the school day.
—
Chaewon Chung
updated July 6,
Sacbee.com,
6 July 2026
These students may also be more likely to challenge the policy, hide their phones or attempt workarounds, such as using smartwatches or other devices.
—
Elizabeth Dowdell,
The Conversation,
6 July 2026
At Bridgers’ pop-up shows earlier this summer, fans kept finding puzzle pieces in Yondr patches that held their devices, and began assembling them online.
—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
6 July 2026
The pair is lightweight and works instantly with all Lightning devices.
—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
6 July 2026
But none of that has happened, and Hamas rejected a new disarmament proposal in March that would force it to give up its tunnel network as well as rockets, heavy munitions, explosive devices and assault rifles before any Israel withdrawal.
—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
Annie Archer,
Travel + Leisure,
7 July 2026
As more Florida seniors use wearables like continuous glucose monitors, remote blood pressure monitors, smartwatches and fitness trackers, concern grows about who has access to the data these devices collect.
—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Miami Herald,
6 July 2026
The work centers on new devices that simplify the integration of electronics, which process information using electricity, with photonics, which transmit information using light.
—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
6 July 2026
Students in transitional kindergarten through eighth grade are not allowed to use devices during the school day.
—
Chaewon Chung
updated July 6,
Sacbee.com,
6 July 2026
These students may also be more likely to challenge the policy, hide their phones or attempt workarounds, such as using smartwatches or other devices.
—
Elizabeth Dowdell,
The Conversation,
6 July 2026
At Bridgers’ pop-up shows earlier this summer, fans kept finding puzzle pieces in Yondr patches that held their devices, and began assembling them online.
—
Angie Martoccio,
Rolling Stone,
6 July 2026
The pair is lightweight and works instantly with all Lightning devices.
—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
6 July 2026
But none of that has happened, and Hamas rejected a new disarmament proposal in March that would force it to give up its tunnel network as well as rockets, heavy munitions, explosive devices and assault rifles before any Israel withdrawal.
—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devices
Noun
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These deciduous trees are invasive in many areas because of their aggressive roots that spread wide and far, and their tendency to take over native plants.
-
This is largely because about half of autistic children have a tendency to wander away from safe environments.
Noun
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King contrasted the country’s technological expertise with its moral aptitude.
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But his energy and aptitude on the boards looked to be in midseason form.
Noun
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Spiritual progress requires fighting against the natural downward inclination of our souls—though fighting, oddly, is also the problem.
-
Getty Choosing a college major has always been a big life decision, influenced by not only personal inclinations and talents, but also by starting salaries.
Noun
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The design and materials of devices such as bone saws, fleams and scarifacators – used to bleed veins and skin surfaces – illustrate the close affinity of humans with other animals.
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Congress has also shown an affinity for weighing in on sports disputes—consider the airtime members of Congress receive when sermonizing on the state of college sports.
Noun
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The inspiration came out of the genuine affection that both my troop and our trainers felt toward the pigs.
-
White one-upped her player’s show of affection by wrapping both arms around her.
Noun
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After surgery, that device is programmed to send mild electrical impulses that block abnormal nerve signals and dramatically reduce tics.
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The show frames the American project as defined by a longstanding tension between impulses to maintain the status quo and demands for change.
Noun
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The fraught subject of the proper disposition of those human remains has taken on a new sensitivity — both for the prehistoric people’s Native American successors in Florida, and for the archaeologists and developers encountering them.
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That disposition compounded into the richest, most inventive society the world has ever seen.
Cite this Entry
“Devices.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devices. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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