premeditated

adjective

pre·​med·​i·​tat·​ed (ˌ)prē-ˈme-də-ˌtā-təd 

: characterized by fully conscious willful intent and a measure of forethought and planning

premeditated murder

premeditatedly adverb

Examples of premeditated in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The killings are patterned on childhood drawings the victims made years earlier, lending the murders an eerie, premeditated quality. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026

If granted a retrial, prosecutors would not be allowed to introduce those prior allegations or pursue theories of willful, deliberate and premeditated murder, according to the ruling. —Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 1 Mar. 2026

Jose Carmen Cardona pleaded guilty on Monday and was sentenced to life without parole for three counts of premeditated, deliberate and willful first-degree murder, the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office announced. —Richard Ramos, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026

Brian Douglas Laoz, 22, was charged with two counts attempted premeditated murder and one count each of shooting a deadly missile, tampering with physical evidence and criminal mischief. —Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 21 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1583, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for premeditated

• abbreviated
• accelerated
• accentuated
• accommodated
• acculturated
• accumulated
• acidulated
• adjudicated
• administrated
• adulterated
• affiliated
• agglomerated

Legal Definition

premeditated

adjective

pre·​med·​i·​tat·​ed

: having been thought about at some point before being committed

any premeditated killing

also : having been formed prior to commission of the act

with premeditated malice

compare deliberate