preconceived
Americanadjective
verb
Etymology
Origin of preconceived
First recorded in 1575–85; preconceive ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective; preconceive ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb
Explanation
When you already have an opinion about something before you've given it much thought, you can call that a preconceived idea. Many people have preconceived ideas about teenagers. It's almost always an idea or opinion that's described as preconceived. You might have preconceived ideas about what college will be like — in other words, you've formed a strong sense of what the experience will be before knowing much about it. Most preconceived ideas don't come from strong evidence, and many aren't true. The adjective is formed from pre, "before," and conceived, which here means "taken into the mind," from the Latin concipere, "to take in and hold."
Vocabulary lists containing preconceived
The Alchemist
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Listen, Slowly
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Woodsong
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The record aims to challenge preconceived notions about what R&B and pop are supposed to sound like.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 2, 2026
Delevingne said she has used humour and being self-deprecating in the past but had to learn to take herself more seriously when it came to music, knowing that people will have preconceived ideas about her.
From BBC ● Jun. 2, 2026
Conversely, critics have been the ones quick to deem the film mere sensationalism, seemingly clinging to preconceived notions about how certain themes should be talked about within the medium.
From Salon ● Apr. 9, 2026
For example, when it comes to Gilead, she’s got these very strong, preconceived ideas of who these people are.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
Jane’s alertness in moving, proved her as ready as her aunt had preconceived.
From "Emma" by Jane Austen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
