prepossession

ˌprē-pə-ˈze-shən
Definition of prepossessionnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun prepossession contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of prepossession are bias, predilection, and prejudice. While all these words mean "an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something," prepossession suggests a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything counter to it.

a prepossession against technology

When can bias be used instead of prepossession?

The meanings of bias and prepossession largely overlap; however, bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing.

a strong bias toward the plaintiff

Where would predilection be a reasonable alternative to prepossession?

Although the words predilection and prepossession have much in common, predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience.

a predilection for travel

In what contexts can prejudice take the place of prepossession?

In some situations, the words prejudice and prepossession are roughly equivalent. However, prejudice usually implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerance.

a mindless prejudice against the unfamiliar

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for prepossession
Noun
  • Manuel’s approach to narrative structure draws on literary and philosophical theory.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 15 Feb. 2026
  • And some have theorized that being a carrier for cystic fibrosis can defend against severe cholera, although the evidence for this theory is more scant.
    Roxanne Khamsi, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Tokyo — In scenes normally reserved for J-pop stars, thousands of fans huddle against the cold outside a small train station on the outskirts of Tokyo, their phones held high for a glimpse of Japan’s latest obsession.
    Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 6 Feb. 2026
  • An obsession with the windy heath and wild heather moorlands of Yorkshire, where it was filmed.
    Andrea Bussell, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Some facts could begin to emerge around a situation that was mired in assumptions or unknown elements.
    Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The team’s findings challenge long-standing assumptions about how vibrational images represent atomic motion, and offer a more accurate way to interpret data from high-resolution spectroscopic tools.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • This is a particular problem for Task-Ambience air conditioning (TAAC) systems.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 Feb. 2026
  • As a three-term Mecklenburg County commissioner, my daily concern is delivering common-sense solutions to our problems as efficiently as possible to keep the tax rate low.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 14 Feb. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Prepossession.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prepossession. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

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