as in assumptions
an attitude, belief, or impression formed in advance of actual experience of something
tried to go into the training sessions without any preconceptions
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Recent Examples of preconceptions
On the slopes, long-standing ethnic and religious divides are briefly set aside, with rivals cheering one another on despite their fraught history and preconceptions.
—
Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Despite McGuire acquiescing to reader’s preconceptions of the witch, the mysterious flying broom was not a central item in Elphaba’s initial rejection of the Wizard’s autocratic reign.
—Time, 21 Nov. 2025
Like the partisan preconceptions surrounding Benioff and his New York Times interview, the faulty assumptions about Salesforce’s future performance are missing the bigger picture.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
In other words, anyone open-minded enough to set aside popular preconceptions about the genre really can find their perfect match.
—Karen Ostergren, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2025
Also not fitting the West’s preconceptions was the fact that most Soviet dissidents didn’t reject socialism.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Oct. 2025
And in 2008, the physicist Hossein Partovi of California State University identified a particularly dramatic implication of the way quantum entanglement can undermine preconceptions derived from classical thermodynamics.
—Quanta Magazine, 1 Oct. 2025
Rest & Relaxation follows Amandeep (Mani), who in seeking solace on the brink of a life-changing decision, retreats to a secluded bed and breakfast where the eclectic guests challenge her preconceptions of family.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025
But at least some of that conflict comes from false assumptions, and some of it comes from turning their preconceptions into self-fulfilling prophecies.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2025
Despite McGuire acquiescing to reader’s preconceptions of the witch, the mysterious flying broom was not a central item in Elphaba’s initial rejection of the Wizard’s autocratic reign.
—Time, 21 Nov. 2025
Like the partisan preconceptions surrounding Benioff and his New York Times interview, the faulty assumptions about Salesforce’s future performance are missing the bigger picture.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
In other words, anyone open-minded enough to set aside popular preconceptions about the genre really can find their perfect match.
—Karen Ostergren, The Atlantic, 13 Oct. 2025
Also not fitting the West’s preconceptions was the fact that most Soviet dissidents didn’t reject socialism.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 3 Oct. 2025
And in 2008, the physicist Hossein Partovi of California State University identified a particularly dramatic implication of the way quantum entanglement can undermine preconceptions derived from classical thermodynamics.
—Quanta Magazine, 1 Oct. 2025
Rest & Relaxation follows Amandeep (Mani), who in seeking solace on the brink of a life-changing decision, retreats to a secluded bed and breakfast where the eclectic guests challenge her preconceptions of family.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2025
But at least some of that conflict comes from false assumptions, and some of it comes from turning their preconceptions into self-fulfilling prophecies.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preconceptions
Noun
-
As mentioned at the start of this discussion, the usual assumptions are that either the user tells the AI to do so, or the AI opts to proceed in that direction due to being shaped by AI makers toward exercising sycophancy.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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Review focuses on fundamental safety aspects The review focuses on fundamental safety aspects such as design assumptions, fulfilment of key safety functions, defence-in-depth, protection against internal and external hazards, and emergency preparedness.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Those are, indeed, pat, credible theories and predictions.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
-
But now, in the planet’s capital city of Apperax, a murder is committed with no suspects, forensics or theories.—
Aaron Couch,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preconceptions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preconceptions. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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