predestined

American

[pri-des-tind] / prɪˈdɛs tɪnd /

adjective

destined in advance; foreordained; predetermined.

Many circumstances combined to mark out the English colonies of America as the predestined seat of a great free nation.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of predestine.

Other Word Forms

unpredestined adjective

Etymology

Origin of predestined

First recorded in 1540–50; predestine + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective; predestine + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb

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.

But for Escola, it seemed almost predestined, spoken into the universe so frequently it had to become true.

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2025

In the final scene of “Forrest Gump,” a white feather dances from Forrest’s feet, into the air, representing one of the movie’s major threads: Are life’s joys and agonies predestined, or are they indiscriminate?

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2025

In Yoruba culture, which predominates in the south-west of the country, twins are a blessing and their names are predestined.

From BBC • May 9, 2024

Artificial intelligence seems predestined to become a bigger part of our lives.

From Slate • Dec. 1, 2023

They were predestined to emigrate to the tropics, to be miners and acetate silk spinners and steel workers.

From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023