predispose
verb
pre·dis·pose
| \ ˌprē-di-ˈspōz
\
\
predisposed;
predisposing;
predisposes
Definition of predispose
1
: to dispose in advance
a good teacher predisposes children to learn
2
: to make susceptible
malnutrition predisposes one to disease
: to bring about susceptibility
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Other Words from predispose
predisposition
\ ˌprē-ˌdi-spə-ˈzi-shən
\
noun
\
noun
Examples of predispose in a Sentence
Past experiences have predisposed her to distrust people.
Recent Examples on the Web
Yet their curmudgeonly characters likely predisposed them to discern genuine problems in government that their adversaries preferred to exploit for their own advantage rather than correct for the good of the nation. — Virginia Dejohn Anderson, New York Times, "Two Early Presidents Who Questioned the Wisdom of ‘the People’," 22 Apr. 2019 People are not predisposed at birth to buy high-powered guns and fire them at strangers. — Rod Rosenstein, Time, "How To Stop White Supremacist Terrorism," 8 Aug. 2019 With her French name and heritage (one-eighth French from her father’s side), she was already predisposed to admiring France. — New York Times, "A Year in Paris That Transformed Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis," 23 June 2019 Personal or family history of depression or anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or a history of perinatal mood disorder may predispose women to developing the condition, McInnes said. — Shari Rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, "There's a new drug for postpartum depression, but wait till you see the price tag," 20 June 2019 The gaping disconnect between AMAG and sell-side analysts — not folks normally predisposed to offer stingy sales forecasts — is remarkable. — STAT, "The FDA erred in approving new women’s libido drug; don’t reward Palatin Technologies," 24 June 2019 Minimize the likelihood All the different causes for fainting and all the various reasons one person might be predisposed remain unclear, although it’s well accepted by scientists that females are more likely to experience syncope. — Anne R. Crecelius, The Conversation, "Why do people faint?," 20 June 2019 Some people are genetically predisposed to alcohol dependence and addiction, while others have issues with substances and self-control. — Molly Mchugh, Vox, "Sobriety is having a moment. Here come the influencers.," 18 June 2019 Hereditary cancer syndromes, like the ones Dr. Lynch investigated, include gene mutations that predispose some to more common cancers. — New York Times, "Dr. Henry Lynch, 91, Dies; Found Hereditary Link in Cancer," 13 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'predispose.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for predispose
predispose
verb
English Language Learners Definition of predispose
formal
: to cause (someone) to be more likely to behave in a particular way or to be affected by a particular condition
See the full definition for predispose in the English Language Learners Dictionary
predispose
verb
pre·dis·pose
| \ ˌprēd-is-ˈpōz
\
\
predisposed;
predisposing
Medical Definition of predispose
: to make susceptible
malnutrition predisposes one to disease
: to bring about susceptibility
conditions that predispose to infection
predispose
transitive verb
pre·dis·pose
| \ ˌprē-di-ˈspōz
\
\
predisposed;
predisposing
Legal Definition of predispose
: to dispose or incline in advance
specifically
: to make ready and willing to commit a crime
have been predisposed to engage in criminal behavior — W. R. LaFave and J. H. Israel
Note: Predisposition on the part of a defendant vitiates the defense of entrapment.
Other Words from predispose
predisposition
\ ˌprē-ˌdis-pə-ˈzi-shən
\
noun
\
noun