1.
apt to; tending to; liable to; all too easily
Indicates that something undesirable tends to happen or that a situation easily drifts in a negative direction. Used to warn about natural but unwanted tendencies.
A somewhat literary adverb that signals an undesirable tendency. Always points to something negative or problematic that naturally tends to occur. The variant ともすると has the same meaning.
Usage
Appears at the beginning or middle of a sentence. Almost always followed by a negative tendency — something undesirable that happens if one is not careful. Common in essays, commentary, and formal speech. Often paired with がち (tending to) or やすい (easy to).
Forms
- ともすると — same meaning, slightly more colloquial
- ややもすれば — similar meaning, more literary
- ややもすると — similar meaning