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
  • The tobacco trials — which took place over decades but began to shift in favor of plaintiffs in the ’90s — similarly saw various types of plaintiffs file a wave of lawsuits, contributing to the release of internal documents and testing new legal theories.
    Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 22 Feb. 2026
  • Analysts offer competing, somewhat contradictory theories about the software selloff.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 22 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • These boat loafers are very much in line with the old money aesthetic that continues to trend, especially in the wake of the Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy obsession triggered by Ryan Murphy’s Love Story.
    Ana Serrano, Glamour, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Plus, though last year’s obsession with polka dots hasn’t completely died down, eye-catching horizontal stripes are threatening to dethrone spots as the pattern du jour.
    Jordan Julian, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • And even the Panthers, Inter Miami and Canes football had endured long dry spells off the national radar until recently, while all the while the Heat relentlessly won, relentlessly competed, the consistent success taken for granted by the mere assumption of it — the standard Pat Riley built here.
    Greg Cote February 25, Miami Herald, 25 Feb. 2026
  • If California is serious about safety, the next governor must ground their approach in evidence instead of fear, slogans, media hype, or outdated assumptions.
    Jose Bernal, Oc Register, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Meta and other tech firms have argued there’s no conclusive evidence linking social media to addiction or mental health problems.
    Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 22 Feb. 2026
  • Once back at the VAB, engineers will need to partially disassemble it to inspect things like filters, valves, and connection plates to find the problem.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 22 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 28 Feb. 2026.

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