as in to destine
to determine the fate of in advance
my wife and I are such soulmates, I'm convinced that our marriage was preordained
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 preordain
Fans may respond as if the song is preordained; the results of the storyline are not.
—
Tom Roland, Billboard, 12 Nov. 2025
No team in history has won between 38 and 40 games for four straight seasons, yet for the Bulls, this feels almost preordained.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
The first thing to emphasize is that nothing is preordained about market cycles — this one may well never get as wild, lucrative and dangerous as the one 25+ years ago.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2025
But although the months between September 2024 and August 2025 may have been light on the kind of superstar releases that seem preordained for Grammy sweeps, plenty of other contenders have emerged — and in such circumstances, obvious choices are in short supply.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preordain
Tom Roland, Billboard, 12 Nov. 2025
No team in history has won between 38 and 40 games for four straight seasons, yet for the Bulls, this feels almost preordained.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025
The first thing to emphasize is that nothing is preordained about market cycles — this one may well never get as wild, lucrative and dangerous as the one 25+ years ago.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2025
But although the months between September 2024 and August 2025 may have been light on the kind of superstar releases that seem preordained for Grammy sweeps, plenty of other contenders have emerged — and in such circumstances, obvious choices are in short supply.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for preordain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for preordain
Verb
-
Last week, his government retaliated by halting diesel shipments to Ukraine and threatening to veto a $106-billion EU loan destined for Kyiv.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Skills could still be admired, but the flag-waving, face-painting, arm-thrusting, chanting, singing, and taunting might reasonably have seemed destined for extinction.—
Ian Buruma,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Mental mistakes and slow offense doomed the Aggies in a night when two-way player Jordy Frahm dealt 10 strikeouts and swung for four RBIs; A&M left 11 runners on base during the game.—
Zoe Collins Rath,
Austin American Statesman,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Years later, as an adult pulled back home by a family wedding, Clara must confront the lingering fallout of that scandal and decide whether she’s doomed to repeat her mother’s mistakes.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
He was ordained in 1968 and received his divinity degree from Chicago Theological Seminary in 2000.—
Hannah Hudnall,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Jackson was with King before his assassination in April 1968, and was ordained as a Reverend in June that same year.—
Olivia-Anne Cleary,
Time,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Whatever happens after that is up to fate and the basketball gods.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Born in the small town of Mallard, Louisiana, a set of identical twins are fated for opposite lives.—
Amanda Favazza,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Preordain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/preordain. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
