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 The big unknown, of course, is how long Trump is willing to stay selling the idea, and whether Republicans will bend to his predilections. Philip Elliott, Time, 14 Jan. 2026 The actor has, over the years, garnered some amount of infamy for his seeming predilection for women under 30. Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Jan. 2026 In 1970s Tacoma, a young girl with a predilection for spooky phenomena is seeing demons. Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026 PlatinumGames share many of the same predilections at Team Ninja (mainly boobs and violence) but carved their own niche as the creators of hyper-kinetic action games like Bayonetta that stretch the boundaries of what the human attention span can manage. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for predilection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predilection
Noun
  • Kahn studies automation bias, the tendency of human operators to overdelegate to machines.
    Eric Sullivan, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Tactics are often cyclical and repeated over time, but the current tendency is very much towards the former.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The 11 satellites on board are flying to a mid-inclination orbit.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2026
  • My inclination next holiday is to continue to hand him the cookies and the card but not the cash.
    R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 25 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Other people have a natural aptitude for learning a language and can pick it up easily.
    Karen Stollznow, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026
  • In his breakout 2025, Benge showcased an aptitude for quick adjustments.
    Tim Britton, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The Natives in his book are largely presented as plot devices, not flesh-and-blood individuals.
    Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
  • The New York Times reported Wednesday that Kennedy wrote a letter to universities in January suggesting 71 topics, including food allergies, dietary supplements, wearable devices, composting and crop rotation.
    Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Elsewhere up the middle of the field, Harbaugh has stressed his affinity for Jaxson Dart at quarterback and Dexter Lawrence at defensive tackle.
    Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 2 Mar. 2026
  • The president is known for his affinity for fast food, particularly McDonald’s.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 28 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • There was a puppylike affection between them.
    Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Your 8th House of Closeness is showered with the affection of Mercury and Venus’s conjunction, increasing your capacity to have deep conversations.
    Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Predilection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predilection. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.

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