megatrend: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Academic, Business/Management, Futurism, Journalism
Quick answer
What does “megatrend” mean?
A very large, pervasive, and long-term trend that significantly influences many aspects of society, technology, business, or culture.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A very large, pervasive, and long-term trend that significantly influences many aspects of society, technology, business, or culture.
A powerful, transformative force that shapes the direction of developments over decades, often representing a fundamental shift rather than a temporary change. In business and social analysis, it refers to overarching movements that create new markets and render old ones obsolete.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is nearly identical in both varieties. The term originated in American business/futurist literature (1982, John Naisbitt's 'Megatrends') and is equally prevalent in UK business/academic contexts.
Connotations
Slightly more associated with corporate strategy and management consultancy in both regions. In the UK, may sometimes carry a mild connotation of American business jargon, but is fully naturalised.
Frequency
Moderate frequency in business, economics, and technology journalism; low frequency in everyday conversation. Equally common in serious UK and US publications like The Economist, Financial Times, Harvard Business Review.
Grammar
How to Use “megatrend” in a Sentence
[Noun] is a megatrend shaping [sector/field]Experts have identified [megatrend] as critical for [time period]Our strategy is aligned with the megatrend of [trend]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “megatrend” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The consultancy aims to megatrend the market forces for their clients.
- We need to understand what is megatrending our industry.
American English
- Their research megatrends societal shifts over the coming decade.
- Few firms successfully megatrend their innovation pipeline.
adverb
British English
- The market shifted megatrendly towards sustainability.
- He argued megatrendly about the future of cities.
American English
- The industry is thinking megatrendly about AI integration.
- She writes megatrendly on demographic changes.
adjective
British English
- The megatrend analysis revealed three key drivers.
- We are in a megatrend era of decarbonisation.
American English
- Their megatrend report is widely cited.
- He is a megatrend thinker focused on long-term horizons.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in strategic reports, investment analyses, and CEO speeches to describe forces like digitalisation, sustainability, or ageing populations that will define future markets.
Academic
Used in sociology, economics, and futures studies to describe long-term, large-scale societal shifts, often backed by demographic or technological data.
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Might be used in informed discussions about the future of work, technology, or society.
Technical
Used by futurists, management consultants, and policy planners. Implies a trend with a time horizon of 10+ years and systemic impact.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “megatrend”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “megatrend”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “megatrend”
- Using it for short-term trends (e.g., a fashion trend).
- Misspelling as 'mega-trend' (hyphenated form is less common).
- Using it without the implied scale and longevity (e.g., 'a megatrend in office snacks').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is primarily used in formal or semi-formal contexts like business strategy, academic research, economics, and journalism. It is not typical in casual, everyday conversation.
A trend is a general direction of change. A megatrend is a very large, pervasive, and long-lasting trend (often decades) that has transformative power across multiple sectors of society. All megatrends are trends, but not all trends are megatrends.
Yes. 'The Green Transition' or 'Decarbonisation' is a clear modern megatrend. It is a global, long-term shift away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy and sustainable practices, affecting energy policy, automotive industries, finance, agriculture, and consumer behaviour.
The solid form 'megatrend' is now standard and more common, especially as the term has become established. 'Mega-trend' is an older or variant form but is generally less frequent in contemporary usage.
A very large, pervasive, and long-term trend that significantly influences many aspects of society, technology, business, or culture.
Megatrend: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmeɡətrend/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmeɡətrend/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Ride the megatrend”
- “A megatrend in the making”
- “Get on the right side of a megatrend”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think MEGA (huge) + TREND (direction of change). A MEGA-TREND is a massively important direction the world is moving in.
Conceptual Metaphor
A megatrend is a TIDAL WAVE or a TECTONIC SHIFT (an immense, unstoppable natural force reshaping the landscape).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes a 'megatrend'?