as in influences
formal
to cause (someone) to be more likely to behave in a particular way or to be affected by a particular condition
Past experiences have predisposed her to distrust people. Researchers have identified a gene that may predispose some people to the disease.
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Recent Examples of predisposes
Ricks has a brain that predisposes him to violent behavior, according to a neuroscience researcher called by the defense as a witness.
—
Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2025
The substance also damages airways and predisposes individuals to develop many chronic lung diseases including asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease.
—Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2025
The substance also damages airways and predisposes individuals to develop many chronic lung diseases including asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease.
—Omer Awan, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for predisposes
Verb
-
Adding more of this hormone influences the markings on their babies’ backs—either bars or stripes—which provide different forms of camouflage in different environments.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
10 May 2026
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The look, including logos, packaging and anything else a customer sees before experiencing the product, influences the customer’s decision.—
Shep Hyken,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Verb
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As previously announced, Burr plays a gruff American record-store owner who convinces a ragtag gang of teenage misfits that their best, and possibly only, chance to lose their virginity before graduating high school is at a massive open-air mass for the visiting Pope.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
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Daredevil finally steps in and convinces Fisk to take the deal and leave.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Whale lusts after a hunky gardener (Brendan Fraser) and persuades him to pose for a few sketches; Julian, though bisexual, expresses no such interest in Lori, and any art-making turns out to be a gratifyingly mutual endeavor.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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The confidence heuristic explains why certainty persuades us.—
Nick Dothée,
The Atlantic,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Sales of Aperol and Espolon tequila are expanding in the US as the company disposes of weaker brands, Chief Executive Officer Simon Hunt said in an interview on Bloomberg Television.—
Antonio Vanuzzo,
Bloomberg,
5 Mar. 2026
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One that stood out to Everett Plummer, a manager in the oil division at the time and one of several staffers tasked with investigating the Boarman case, was McCoon 3, an injection well that disposes salty oil field wastewater deep below the earth.—
Nick Bowlin,
The Frontier,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The moon’s clash with Venus inclines you to projections.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
12 Apr. 2026
-
It is rated to handle inclines up to 50% (27°) and is designed to tackle soft soil, mud, exposed roots and molehills without constant intervention.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Predisposes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/predisposes. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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