English vocabulary · C1
Predispose
/ˌpriːdɪˈspoʊz/ · v.
To predispose someone is to make that person likely to act a certain way, because of something earlier.
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Example sentences
- Poor sleep can predispose you to bad moods.
- She was predisposed to worry early.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- pre — before (from Latin)
- pose — place (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- INCLINE — makes you want to do it (Leans You Toward It)
- BIAS — favors one way over another (A Leaning Effect)
- PRIME — prepares you to react a certain way (Gets You Ready)
Words with the same root
pose — place
- suppose — think that something is probably true
- propose — suggest a plan or idea
- expose — show something that was hidden
Lesson notes
To predispose someone is to make that person likely to act a certain way, because of something earlier.
Related: incline, bias, prime. Use predispose when a cause shapes a choice.
Poor sleep can predispose you to bad moods. She was predisposed to worry early.
From Latin. Pre- means before. Pose- means place. You are placed before it happens — that is predispose.