as in destined
to determine the fate of in advance
we are such good friends, it's almost like we were foreordained to meet
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as in preordained
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Recent Examples of foreordained
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 Oct. 2024
The film is a tragedy in which everything comes out right: Coppola builds his protagonist’s absurd overreach into a foreordained happy ending, and the movie itself is a happy outcome from the very start.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2024
Her foray into television, which started in 2017, was not exactly foreordained.
—Tammy Lagorce, New York Times, 14 May 2024
And that success is far from foreordained.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 4 Aug. 2022
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
Yet even now, Deng’s warning holds: an Asian century is neither inevitable nor foreordained.
—Lee Hsien Loong, Foreign Affairs, 4 June 2020
Verb
What unfolds next is both foreordained and unpredictable: a performance superficially the same as any other rendition of the same score, but also profoundly different — wondrous, perhaps, or merely rote.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 Oct. 2024
The film is a tragedy in which everything comes out right: Coppola builds his protagonist’s absurd overreach into a foreordained happy ending, and the movie itself is a happy outcome from the very start.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2024
Her foray into television, which started in 2017, was not exactly foreordained.
—Tammy Lagorce, New York Times, 14 May 2024
And that success is far from foreordained.
—Jennifer Maas, Variety, 4 Aug. 2022
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
Yet even now, Deng’s warning holds: an Asian century is neither inevitable nor foreordained.
—Lee Hsien Loong, Foreign Affairs, 4 June 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foreordained
Verb
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Rather than a bottle destined for the back of a cabinet, Toki Black is positioned as a must‑try for anyone curious about how Suntory can stretch the Toki profile into richer, smokier territory — without losing its easy‑drinking DNA.—
Gina Pace,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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With his matinee idol looks, Withers seems destined to follow the hero's journey on screen.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This final betrayal will be his undoing, as the enraged creature, doomed to live without connection, care, or love, finally snaps and destroys everything Victor holds dear.—
Thomas Page McBee,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Sep. 2025
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Our Mammalian Age The climatic impact of the asteroid strike that doomed the dinosaurs, while global and catastrophic, was relatively short-lived.—
Peter Brannen,
Quanta Magazine,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Qualified people who could be priests except for archaic laws that no longer serve us continue to wait to be invited into the ranks of those who have been ordained.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Aug. 2025
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The move also contrasts with Pope Francis, who said no to moving into the papal apartments when he was ordained in 2013, choosing instead a Vatican guesthouse.—
Greg Wehner , Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The standard knockout format remains in place for the last three rounds, so the final will continue to be held at a predetermined venue.—
Neel Shelat,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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About 20 seconds later, the return capsule separated from the escape tower at a predetermined altitude.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Foreordained.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foreordained. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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