1 preordain | Definition of preordain

preordain

verb
pre·​or·​dain | \ ˌprē-ȯr-ˈdān How to pronounce preordain (audio) \
preordained; preordaining; preordains

Definition of preordain

transitive verb

: to decree or ordain in advance : foreordain

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Other Words from preordain

preordainment \ ˌprē-​ȯr-​ˈdān-​mənt How to pronounce preordainment (audio) \ noun
preordination \ (ˌ)prē-​ˌȯr-​də-​ˈnā-​shən How to pronounce preordination (audio) \ noun

Examples of preordain in a Sentence

my wife and I are such soulmates, I'm convinced that our marriage was preordained

Recent Examples on the Web

While dragging New Mexico State for four quarters, Alabama put that theory to the test in a game that offered few conclusions except an outcome that was already preordained. Rainer Sabin | [email protected], al, "What did Alabama get out of playing New Mexico State?," 7 Sep. 2019 Indeed, some of the great foods and beverages of all time were not planned or preordained at all. Bill St. John, The Denver Post, "How to manage food mishaps in the kitchen," 31 July 2019 The answers that the commission may propose appear preordained by its makeup. Masha Gessen, The New Yorker, "Mike Pompeo’s Faith-Based Attempt to Narrowly Redefine Human Rights," 10 July 2019 For Risso, the curious twists of the mind are our bulwark against anything proscribed or preordained; our brains and our passions will, in his view, set us free. Nicole Phelps, Vogue, "The Top Shows of Milan Fashion Week Fall 2019," 25 Feb. 2019 This was an expansion that was not preordained by doctrine. Adam Liptak, New York Times, "How Conservatives Weaponized the First Amendment," 30 June 2018 There came to be a not entirely hyperbolic narrative of McKinsey’s preordained white-shoe path through the world — the Harvard Business School recruit turned McKinsey consultant turned rising corporate titan. New York Times, "How McKinsey Lost Its Way in South Africa," 26 June 2018 But Trump’s summit with North Korea Kim Jong Un hearkens back to a bygone era of high-risk summits where the outcome is not preordained. Gregory Korte, USA TODAY, "A brief history of summits: How face-to-face meetings of world leaders shapes the world order," 11 June 2018 This title, seized outright Saturday after UT downed TCU and Oklahoma State fell for a third time to Texas Tech, was by no means preordained. Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, "Big 12 champion Texas prepares for conference tournament," 21 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'preordain.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of preordain

1533, in the meaning defined above

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More from Merriam-Webster on preordain

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for preordain

Nglish: Translation of preordain for Spanish Speakers