trendy
B1Informal, conversational; sometimes slightly pejorative.
Definition
Meaning
Very fashionable or up to date in style or ideas.
Following or reflecting the latest trends, sometimes superficially or for a short time. Can be used as a noun to refer to a person who follows trends closely.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word often implies a temporary, fashionable quality rather than timeless style. As an adjective, it can describe places, things, ideas, and people. As a noun, it is used for people.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is very similar, but the noun form ('He's a trendy') may be slightly more established in British English. The word can be perceived as slightly dated (1970s/80s) in both varieties but remains in active use.
Connotations
In both, it can carry a slight negative connotation of being faddish or following trends uncritically. In British English, it has historical association with left-leaning politics and social attitudes ('the trendy left').
Frequency
Common in both. Possibly used more in lifestyle and fashion contexts than in formal writing.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[be] trendy[be] considered trendy[become/go] trendytrendy among/with [group]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “trendy lefty (UK, pejorative)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in marketing and branding to describe products or services positioned as fashionable (e.g., 'targeting the trendy urban market').
Academic
Rare; if used, it is often in a critical or sociological context, placed in quotation marks (e.g., 'so-called trendy pedagogical theories').
Everyday
Common in discussions about fashion, places (bars, areas), restaurants, and popular culture.
Technical
Not used in technical fields like engineering or medicine.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Rare as verb; use 'trend' instead)
American English
- (Rare as verb; use 'trend' instead)
adverb
British English
- (Rare; informally 'trendily') She dresses very trendily.
American English
- (Rare; informally 'trendily') The room was decorated trendily.
adjective
British English
- Shoreditch is full of trendy coffee shops.
- That new gastro-pub is terribly trendy.
American English
- Williamsburg is known for its trendy boutiques.
- Eating avocado toast became a trendy habit.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She wears trendy clothes.
- This is a trendy café.
- That part of the city is very trendy now with lots of new bars.
- I don't like that trendy new music.
- The magazine caters to a young, trendy readership.
- The policy was dismissed by critics as merely a trendy idea with no substance.
- The once-trendy neighbourhood has now been completely gentrified.
- He criticised the trendy nihilism prevalent in some contemporary art.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A TREND is current fashion, so TREND-Y means full of trends.
Conceptual Metaphor
SOCIAL VALUE IS PHYSICAL HEIGHT / VISIBILITY (what's 'trendy' is 'up' or 'high' in public awareness).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'трендовый' in formal English—it's informal. In Russian, 'трендовый' is a modern borrowing, but in English 'trendy' has been used for decades and can sound slightly dated or casual.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'trendy' in formal writing. Confusing it with 'trending' (which is about online popularity). Overusing as a synonym for 'good' or 'modern'.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'trendy' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be both. It positively describes something fashionable. However, it can be negative, implying something is only temporarily popular or followed superficially.
'Fashionable' is more neutral and general. 'Trendy' is more informal and often suggests following short-term, specific trends. 'Trendy' can imply a slightly fleeting or less serious quality.
Yes, informally. A 'trendy' is a person who closely follows the latest trends, especially in fashion and ideas (e.g., 'The bar was filled with young trendies').
It became very common in the 1960s-80s. While still perfectly understood and used, to some ears it may sound slightly dated compared to words like 'hip', 'cool', or 'on-trend'. Its use remains widespread.
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