trendline: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical, academic, business, financial
Quick answer
What does “trendline” mean?
A line drawn on a chart showing the general direction or tendency of a series of data points.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A line drawn on a chart showing the general direction or tendency of a series of data points.
A visual representation of an underlying pattern or tendency within data; used metaphorically to describe a general direction or trajectory of events, behaviors, or phenomena.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Usage is identical in both technical and metaphorical contexts.
Connotations
Neutral and technical in both varieties. The metaphorical use is slightly more common in business/strategy contexts.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English financial journalism and business analysis.
Grammar
How to Use “trendline” in a Sentence
The [ANALYST/CHART] shows a trendline of [UPWARD/DOWNWARD] slope.A trendline [CONNECTS/TOUCHES] the [DATA POINTS/LOWS].The trendline [INDICATES/SUGGESTS] a [PATTERN/TENDENCY].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “trendline” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The software can trendline the data automatically.
- We need to trendline these results to spot the underlying pattern.
American English
- The analyst trendlined the stock prices to identify support levels.
- Can you trendline this scatter plot for the presentation?
adverb
British English
- The data points fell trendline-wise.
- The values increased trendline, without major deviations.
American English
- Prices moved trendline upward throughout the session.
- The metrics improved trendline over the last four quarters.
adjective
British English
- The trendline analysis was inconclusive.
- We observed a clear trendline movement in the metrics.
American English
- Her report featured strong trendline projections.
- The trendline data suggested a market correction.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The quarterly sales report included a trendline projecting growth into the next fiscal year.
Academic
The researcher fitted a polynomial trendline to model the nonlinear relationship between the variables.
Everyday
Looking at the graph of my weekly running times, I can see a positive trendline forming.
Technical
In the trading software, you can add an exponential moving average as a dynamic trendline.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “trendline”
- Using 'trendline' for a single data point (it must connect multiple points).
- Confusing 'trendline' with 'average line' (a trendline shows direction, not a central value).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a closed compound word: 'trendline'. 'Trend line' (open) is a less common variant.
Yes. While often straight (linear), trendlines can be curved (e.g., polynomial, exponential, logarithmic) to fit nonlinear data patterns.
A trendline is a single static line fitted to historical data. A moving average is a dynamic line that continuously recalculates the average of recent data points, smoothing out short-term fluctuations.
Yes, metaphorically. It's used in business strategy, social sciences, and general language to describe the general direction of any measurable activity (e.g., 'the trendline for remote work is rising').
A line drawn on a chart showing the general direction or tendency of a series of data points.
Trendline is usually technical, academic, business, financial in register.
Trendline: in British English it is pronounced /ˈtrɛndlaɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈtrɛndlaɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to trade with the trendline”
- “the trendline is your friend (financial advice)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'LINE' that shows the general 'TREND' of dots on a graph.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PATH or ROAD indicating future direction; a SIMPLIFICATION of chaos into order.
Practice
Quiz
What does a 'broken trendline' typically indicate in technical analysis?