predestination

American  

[pri-des-tuh-ney-shuhn, pree-des-] / prɪˌdɛs təˈneɪ ʃən, ˌpri dɛs- /

noun

1. an act of predestinating or predestining.

2. the state of being predestinated or predestined.

3. fate; destiny.

4. Theology.

   1. the action of God in foreordaining from eternity whatever comes to pass.

   2. the decree of God by which certain souls are foreordained to salvation.

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predestination British  

/ priːˌdɛstɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. theol

   1. the act of God foreordaining every event from eternity

   2. the doctrine or belief, esp associated with Calvin, that the final salvation of some of mankind is foreordained from eternity by God

2. the act of predestining or the state of being predestined

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predestination Cultural  

1. In theology, the doctrine that all events have been willed by God. John Calvin interpreted predestination to mean that God willed eternal damnation for some people and salvation (see also salvation) for others.

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Etymology

Origin of predestination

1300–50; Middle English predestinacioun < Late Latin praedestinātiōn- (stem of praedestinātiō ). See predestinate, -ion

Example Sentences

Presbyterians, such as those who pray at the Koreatown church, have historically believed in predestination, the idea that God has determined everyone’s fate and we can’t do a thing about it.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 9, 2026

Such theological reasoning is serious, stalwart and chilly, not unrelated to the cold logic of double predestination and the denial of free will.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 6, 2025

He said: “It’s an attempt to predict the future, which is, of course, impossible. So it ties into the themes of fate, predestination, and the unpredictability of the future.”

From BBC • Jul. 15, 2024

Where the first season was an examination of predestination and an identity reset for its namesake hero, these new episodes play with determinism – the theory that all our actions are inevitable.

From Salon • Oct. 5, 2023

From there I got to thinking about predestination.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns