predispose

verb

pre·dis·pose | \ ˌprē-di-ˈspōz

predisposed; predisposing; predisposes

Definition of predispose

transitive verb

1 : to dispose in advance a good teacher predisposes children to learn

2 : to make susceptible malnutrition predisposes one to disease

intransitive verb

: to bring about susceptibility

Other Words from predispose Choose the Right Synonym What is the difference between disposition and predisposition? Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about predispose

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Choose the Right Synonym for predispose

incline, bias, dispose, predispose mean to influence one to have or take an attitude toward something. incline implies a tendency to favor one of two or more actions or conclusions. I incline to agree bias suggests a settled and predictable leaning in one direction and connotes unfair prejudice. the experience biased him against foreigners dispose suggests an affecting of one's mood or temper so as to incline one toward something. her nature disposes her to trust others predispose implies the operation of a disposing influence well in advance of the opportunity to manifest itself. does fictional violence predispose them to accept real violence?

What is the difference between disposition and predisposition?

What exactly is someone's disposition? And is it different from a predisposition? A person's disposition is his or her usual mood or attitude. Are you typically pretty happy? You could be described as having a happy—or cheerful, or sunny—disposition. Animals have dispositions too; a dog with a nervous disposition doesn't easily relax into a restful pup curled up at someone’s feet. In this use, disposition is a synonym of temperament; both words refer to the complex set of attitudes and inclinations that guide behavior.

Disposition can also mean "tendency" or "inclination," and in such cases it has a surprising synonym: predisposition. A disposition to exaggerate is the same as a predisposition to exaggerate. A disposition toward humility is likewise the same thing as a predisposition toward humility. The fact of being "in advance" that the prefix pre- implies hardly matters when tendency and inclination are concerned, since both concern what is likely to happen in the future.

While phrases like "a disposition to cooperate" are about as common as "a predisposition to cooperate," when the context is medical, predisposition is far more common. Phrases like "a genetic predisposition to nearsightedness" appear much more frequently in published, edited text than similar phrases employing disposition.

Did You Know?

Predispose usually means putting someone in a frame of mind to be willing to do something. So a longtime belief in the essential goodness of people, for example, will predispose us to trust a stranger. Teachers know that coming from a stable family generally predisposes children to learn. And viewing television violence for years may leave young people with a predisposition to accept real violence as normal. The medical sense of the word is similar. Thus, a person's genes may predispose her to diabetes or arthritis, and malnutrition over a long period can predispose you to all kinds of infections.

Examples of predispose in a Sentence

Past experiences have predisposed her to distrust people.

Recent Examples on the Web

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 2019 Though there’s no known cause of lipomas, some people have genetic conditions that predispose them to forming dozens of lipomas, according to Dr. Garden. — Jenn Sinrich, SELF, "12 Common Face 'Bumps' and How to Deal With Them," 31 May 2019

These 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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Last Updated

13 Aug 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for predispose

The first known use of predispose was in 1646

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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

transitive verb

: to make susceptible malnutrition predisposes one to disease

intransitive verb

: 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.