foreordained

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "foreordained" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to something that is predetermined or destined to happen. Example: "Their meeting seemed foreordained, as if the universe had conspired to bring them together." Alternative expressions include "predestined" and "preordained."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Abroad, it must promote and guarantee an expanded West (embracing Russia and Turkey) and balance the great powers of Asia.Like Mr Kagan, Mr Brzezinski does not believe America's decline is foreordained.

The Economist

Given that candidates are sifted in advance for loyalty to the regime by a council of senior clerics, and that most of the opposition had declared a boycott, the outcome was essentially foreordained.

The Economist

Its tragic ending is almost foreordained by the characters' inability to change their lives.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The Calvinists emphasized that salvation is limited to those who are foreordained by God to receive it and are not capable of falling out of his grace.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Lassalle was for many decades considered a reformist heretic by the worker's movement, which then adhered to the deterministic notions of popular Marxism according to which the dictatorship of the proletariat was foreordained by history.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Then he announced yet another special meeting, to be held the following Monday — during which, it seemed foreordained, the board would reverse itself.

The New Yorker

But, now that Iraq's demise is increasingly regarded as foreordained, it's worth recalling the optimism among Iraqis four years ago.

The New Yorker

The earliest painting in the show, the miserable but interesting "Variations #7" (1959), suggests that his success was not foreordained.

The New Yorker

Now all these events seemed foreordained: as if God had given him the chance to say goodbye to everyone before leaving this earth.

The New Yorker

Like the modern yoking of art and money, and on account of it, this schism in scholarship was inevitable; but nothing foreordained the scale of Duveen's transmogrifications.

The New Yorker

Such a thought is blasphemous — God isn't surprised by anything, he foreordained it all — but Dante was an exceedingly confident artist.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair the word with abstract nouns like "defeat", "success", "path" or "outcome" to create a more impactful and literary tone in your prose.

Common error

Avoid using "foreordained" when you simply mean that an event was hinted at earlier. While "foreshadowed" refers to a literary device used to warn or suggest, "foreordained" implies that the event was fixed and unalterable from the beginning.

Linguistic Context

As noted by Ludwig, the term "foreordained" primarily functions as a past participle often used adjectivally to describe the state of an event being predetermined. It frequently follows linking verbs such as "to be" or "to seem".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Encyclopedias

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Reference

3%

Wiki

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "foreordained" is a potent adjective used to describe events that appear to have been decided in advance by fate or historical forces. According to Ludwig AI, the word is used with significant frequency in high-quality journalism to discuss political outcomes, historical shifts and personal destinies. It carries a weightier, more solemn tone than synonyms like "certain" or "sure". Writers should employ it when they wish to highlight that a specific result was not just likely, but inescapable within the context of the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

predestined

Often used in a spiritual or theological context regarding one's ultimate fate.

preordained

Highly synonymous, typically implying a decree from a higher power or authority.

inevitable

Focuses on the certainty of occurrence rather than a specific prior decree.

fated

Injects a more mystical or classical sense of destiny into the narrative.

predetermined

Suggests a more clinical or systemic causal necessity.

inescapable

Emphasizes the inability of the subjects to avoid the final result.

written in the stars

A more poetic and idiomatic way to describe a certain future.

unavoidable

A simpler, more literal descriptor for events that cannot be prevented.

doomed

Specific to negative or tragic outcomes that are destined to happen.

certain

A general term for something that is sure to occur without the nuance of fate.

FAQs

How to use "foreordained" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a result that seems unchangeable, such as: "Given the lack of competition, the victory seemed "foreordained"."

What is the difference between "foreordained" and preordained?

While both are largely interchangeable, "foreordained" is often used for historical or fatalistic inevitabilities, whereas "preordained" often specifically implies a decree by a divine or authoritative entity.

What can I say instead of "foreordained"?

You can use alternatives like "predestined", "fated" or "inevitable" depending on whether you want to emphasize destiny or just certainty.

Is "foreordained" a formal word?

Yes, it is a formal and elevated term. In casual speech, you might prefer to use "meant to be" or "bound to happen".