Definition of predilectionnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun predilection contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of predilection are bias, prejudice, and prepossession. While all these words mean "an attitude of mind that predisposes one to favor something," predilection implies a strong liking deriving from one's temperament or experience.

a predilection for travel

When could bias be used to replace predilection?

Although the words bias and predilection have much in common, bias implies an unreasoned and unfair distortion of judgment in favor of or against a person or thing.

a strong bias toward the plaintiff

When is it sensible to use prejudice instead of predilection?

The words prejudice and predilection can be used in similar contexts, but prejudice usually implies an unfavorable prepossession and connotes a feeling rooted in suspicion, fear, or intolerance.

a mindless prejudice against the unfamiliar

When can prepossession be used instead of predilection?

While the synonyms prepossession and predilection are close in meaning, prepossession suggests a fixed conception likely to preclude objective judgment of anything counter to it.

a prepossession against technology

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of predilection By choosing investment banking, an industry almost entirely based in Manhattan, students were expressing a predilection for its unique lifestyle and consumption options. Literary Hub, 15 May 2026 Only McCarthy could have given us Judge Holden, a bald, sociopathic pedophile with weird skin and a predilection for chaos. Time, 12 May 2026 Amazon’s owner Jeff Bezos seems to have a predilection for faux AI podcasts (and AI in general). Frank Landymore, Futurism, 30 Apr. 2026 My brother, who is 10 years older, his friends were these sort of tornado people who really had this predilection for self-sabotage. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 17 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for predilection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predilection
Noun
  • The young David displayed hypergraphic tendencies—the compulsive need to make a mark, to depict.
    Mark Rozzo, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026
  • There is a tendency in retail to discuss scale in operational terms.
    Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • Courtesy of Focus Features & CBS Despite its inclination toward the otherworldly, the original Twilight Zone created by TV pioneer Rod Serling was, at its core, about the weakness of human nature.
    Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
  • Maybe because there’s some cultural inclination toward making an idiosyncratic mark on one’s little corner.
    Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 10 June 2026
Noun
  • The North Korean players’ physical aptitude was clear, but coaches were aware of their technical and tactical shortcomings.
    Andrew McNicol, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
  • But while Josh is a magnet for easy jabs about NPR tote bags and Sierra Club memberships, there’s almost nothing in his storylines to suggest an aptitude for or even interest in the work of actual journalism.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • Prinano said its technology supports wafer-level production of photonic chips and can be applied to optical communication and sensing devices based on gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, and silicon photonics.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 June 2026
  • Spending on mental wellness has accelerated faster than the evidence base, encompassing everything from spa retreats to brain supplements, smartphone apps, and at-home devices.
    Melinda Fulmer, Robb Report, 11 June 2026
Noun
  • The Cape Fear actress spoke about her affinity for the summer dating show, which kicked off its eighth season on June 2.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 9 June 2026
  • Trump’s affinity for these fights extends beyond business dealings.
    Bhumika Tharoor, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • How can a plotline about a man (Michael Johnston) who wishes upon a magical toy branch for the unrequited love of his life (Indie Navarrette) to return his affections not involve some blood?
    Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 7 June 2026
  • The phrase did contain a kind of affection, the perverse, frank, aggressive kind that follows, or underlines, an assertion of control.
    Andrea Bajani, New Yorker, 7 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Predilection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predilection. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

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