determinism

American  

[dih-tur-muh-niz-uhm] / dɪˈtɜr məˌnɪz əm /

noun

1. the doctrine that all facts and events exemplify natural laws.

2. the doctrine that all events, including human choices and decisions, have sufficient causes.

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determinism British  

/ dɪˈtɜːmɪˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. Also called: necessitarianism. the philosophical doctrine that all events including human actions and choices are fully determined by preceding events and states of affairs, and so that freedom of choice is illusory Compare free will

2. the scientific doctrine that all occurrences in nature take place in accordance with natural laws

3. the principle in classical mechanics that the values of dynamic variables of a system and of the forces acting on the system at a given time, completely determine the values of the variables at any later time

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determinism Cultural  

1. In ethics, the view that human actions are entirely controlled by previous conditions, operating under laws of nature. Determinism is often understood as ruling out free will.

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Other Word Forms

• determinist
  noun
• nondeterminist
  noun
• deterministic
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of determinism

First recorded in 1840–50; determin(e) + -ism

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Compare meaning

How does determinism compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• fatalism vs. determinism
• determinism vs. indeterminism

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

determinism

Though demographic determinism has a long history, in recent decades it perhaps has been most widely associated in the investment arena with financial analyst and author Harry Dent.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

The question is framed in the language of free will and determinism, but Golding refuses to let it remain there.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026

“As intelligent machines become increasingly autonomous and operate around people, the requirements for safety, security, reliability, and real-time determinism become even more important,” he added.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

Many critics noted that their work suffered from selection bias and determinism; a 1991 Newsweek article described it as “an elaborate historical horoscope that will never withstand scholarly scrutiny.”

From Salon ● Dec. 19, 2025

News of such wrecks was received by islanders with a grim brand of determinism; it seemed to many that such things were ordained by God, or at any rate unavoidable.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

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