premeditated
Americanadjective
Synonym Usage
See deliberate.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of premeditated
Explanation
Something premeditated is planned in advanced and has a purpose behind it. In other words, it's no accident. A premeditated crime involves careful planning and research before it happens. Premeditated comes from a combination of two Latin words: pre, meaning "before," and meditat, meaning “to ponder.” If you ponder — or think about — something before you act, that makes it premeditated. If you watch a lot of TV crime dramas, you may be familiar with the term "premeditated murder." This means that the murderer didn't just lose his temper and kill someone in the moment — instead, he went after a specific person on purpose.
Vocabulary lists containing premeditated
Power Prefix: pre-
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Twelve Angry Men
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Franklin D. Roosevelt, "A Date That Will Live In Infamy" (1941)
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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 events of that night have been long a subject of heated debate in South Korea, particularly over whether the murder was premeditated.
From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026
Although Duke Béla's assassination in November 1272 appears to have been partly or wholly premeditated, the manner of the killing indicates that it was not carried out calmly.
From Science Daily • Nov. 14, 2025
The prosecutor’s office added that early investigations indicated the attacks on government property were premeditated.
From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 9, 2025
Velasquez entered his no contest plea in August and, as a result, premeditated attempted murder charges against him were dropped, meaning he no longer faced a possible life sentence.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2025
This was very intentional, very premeditated, and I over-thought the whole thing.
From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx
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.
