premeditate
verb
pre·med·i·tate
(ˌ)prē-ˈme-də-ˌtāt 
premeditated; premeditating; premeditates
: to think about and revolve in the mind beforehand
… must premeditate the killing and deliberate about it …—
Wayne R. LaFave and Austin W. Scott, Jr.
Wayne R. LaFave and Austin W. Scott, Jr.
: to think, consider, or deliberate beforehand
Examples of premeditate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
According to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, 25-year-old Jalen Davon Williams and 29-year-old Hodari Heatley, both from Detroit, were arraigned on felony murder, premeditated first-degree murder and armed robbery.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
At the closing arguments, Ryan McLaughlin, a deputy district attorney for San Mateo County, told jurors that Coleman should be convicted of first-degree murder on both counts, arguing that the act was premeditated, intentional and deliberate.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026
Unlike Mourinho’s touchline dash at Old Trafford as Porto boss in 2004, or his foray into the Camp Nou centre circle in 2010 after Inter overcame Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Barcelona side, there was nothing premeditated about this.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Lakanwal is now facing charges of first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), assault with intent to kill while armed and four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence or dangerous offense, all violations of DC Code, according to court records.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
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Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
At the closing arguments, Ryan McLaughlin, a deputy district attorney for San Mateo County, told jurors that Coleman should be convicted of first-degree murder on both counts, arguing that the act was premeditated, intentional and deliberate.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2026
Unlike Mourinho’s touchline dash at Old Trafford as Porto boss in 2004, or his foray into the Camp Nou centre circle in 2010 after Inter overcame Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Barcelona side, there was nothing premeditated about this.
—Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026
Lakanwal is now facing charges of first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), assault with intent to kill while armed and four counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence or dangerous offense, all violations of DC Code, according to court records.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for premeditate
Cite this Entry
“Premeditate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/premeditate. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
premeditate
verb
pre·med·i·tate
pri-ˈmed-ə-ˌtāt
ˈprē-
: to think about and plan beforehand
premeditated murder
premeditation
noun
pri-ˌmed-ə-ˈtā-shən,
ˌprē-
Legal Definition
premeditate
verb
pre·med·i·tate
pri-ˈme-də-ˌtāt
premeditated; premeditating
: to think about or consider beforehand
must premeditate the killing and deliberate about it—W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.
W. R. LaFave and A. W. Scott, Jr.
: to think or consider beforehand
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