foreordained

1 of 2

adjective

fore·​or·​dained ˌfȯr-ȯr-ˈdānd How to pronounce foreordained (audio)
Synonyms of foreordainednext
: destined or ordained in advance
a foreordained outcome
This device is commonplace, almost foreordained, in tales of doomed heroes …—John Crowley

foreordained

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of foreordain

Examples of foreordained in a Sentence

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Adjective
Her foray into television, which started in 2017, was not exactly foreordained. — Tammy Lagorce, New York Times, 14 May 2024 As Robinson notes, the story had to go this way because Jacob has a foreordained task in becoming one of the patriarchs of Israel. — James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 For all the talk of Senate traditions, the outcome seems pretty foreordained if the Democrats win a majority and the intractable McConnell continues as GOP leader. — Walter Shapiro, The New Republic, 17 Aug. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of foreordained was in the 15th century

Rhymes for foreordained

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Browse Nearby Words

foreordain
foreordained
foreordination
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Cite this Entry

“Foreordained.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foreordained. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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