predisposed

American  

[pree-di-spohzd] / ˌpri dɪˈspoʊzd /

adjective

1. having or showing an inclination or tendency toward a specified condition, opinion, behavior, etc., beforehand.

   Many studies show how genes interact with the environment to cause disease in predisposed individuals.

   The novel is skillfully written, but in a style that requires close reading and a predisposed reader.

---

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of predispose.

Other Word Forms

• predisposedly adverb
• predisposedness noun
• unpredisposed adjective

Etymology

Origin of predisposed

predispose ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

If you’re predisposed to something, you’re heading in that direction already — you already have a tendency to develop it. Your medical history or your habits could make you predisposed to a condition, like high blood pressure, or chocolate addiction. Predisposed often describes medical conditions, but it can refer to any tendency. You might be predisposed to a pessimistic outlook. You’re probably predisposed to like someone one of your friends likes. Or you could be predisposed to act in a certain way. If you’re really proud of your dad’s work as a lawyer, you might be predisposed to become a lawyer yourself.

Example Sentences

"Clearly, the authors of these papers are predisposed in favour of Nova since they created it," she said, adding that more research is needed to identify the exact mechanisms that UPFs could be causing harm.

From Barron's • Nov. 18, 2025

Most had had previous, less severe incidents—or “micro concussions”—that while not enough to send them to a clinician, predisposed them to a bigger event, he said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 14, 2025

“We adults have persuaded ourselves that this is one of the bonuses of being a child, that you can revel in magical creatures. But there isn’t much evidence that children are predisposed to magical thinking.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 20, 2024

"The US market is not only huge, but also more predisposed to taking big shots," Mustafa Suleyman, who co-founded Google DeepMind and has just joined Microsoft, told the BBC.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2024

He was especially predisposed to forgive or ignore political differences when the other person had been one of the “band of brothers” in 1776.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis