Foreordain

To determine or decree something in advance; to predetermine a future event or outcome. It implies a sense of inevitability, suggesting that the event is set to occur regardless of human intervention or choices. The concept often relates to religious or philosophical beliefs about fate, divine plan, or predestination. Foreordaining can apply to both positive and negative occurrences, and its implications are significant in discussions about free will, determinism, and the nature of cause and effect. It suggests an active planning and setting, and is a strong word choice when emphasizing an event's inevitability.

Foreordain meaning with examples

• The ancient prophets believed God had foreordained the destruction of the city, leaving the inhabitants with a sense of helplessness in the face of such a calamitous event. Despite all their attempts to change what was coming, the plan could not be changed.
• In the novel, the author explores how the characters' fates were seemingly foreordained by their family history, their choices seemingly guided by forces larger than themselves, no matter their free will or desire for a different future.
• Some philosophical arguments propose that all events, including human actions, are causally determined and thus foreordained, questioning the very idea of conscious decision-making in all things.
• The tragic ending of the play suggested the characters' downfall had been foreordained from the beginning, as indicated by subtle hints in the opening act.
• The conspiracy theorists believed the economic crash was foreordained by a secret global cabal, manipulating events to their advantage and controlling everything.