Showing results for "predisposed"

• past participle of predispose.
• past tense form of predispose.

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.

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

• predisposedness
  noun
• unpredisposed
  adjective
• predisposedly
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of predisposed

predispose ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

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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

See Examples For:

predisposed

Many Americans are predisposed to think that wealthy people earned their money and that it’s churlish to try to take it away from them.

From Slate ● Nov. 3, 2026

If a director sits on only one board and is well paid for that job, for example, are they predisposed to fall in line?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

To investigate, the researchers studied mice genetically predisposed to developing intestinal cancer.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

Certain breeds are predisposed to heart or orthopedic issues, for example, that can be expensive to treat.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026

The cases described, on the other hand, were predisposed to gross lapses in reality contact and extreme weakness in impulse control during periods of heightened tension and disorganization.

From "In Cold Blood" by Truman Capote

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