was largely predetermined

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was largely predetermined" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or outcome that was significantly influenced or decided in advance, often implying a lack of control over the result. Example: "The outcome of the election was largely predetermined by the early voting trends and public opinion polls."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

The distribution of grades was largely predetermined.

The New York Times

"The result of the V.& E. review was largely predetermined by the scope and nature of the investigation and the process employed," the report says.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

But, in reality, the Stanford County Prison was a heavily manipulated environment, and the guards and prisoners acted in ways that were largely predetermined by how their roles were presented.

The New Yorker

And the role of machinery is expanding toward the point where that final human decision to kill will be largely predetermined by machine-generated intelligence.

The New York Times

In the academic world, Dr. Fausto-Sterling is known as a developmental biologist who offers interesting counterpoints to the view that the role division between men and women is largely predetermined by evolution.

The New York Times - Science

An investigation last year by outside lawyers for Enron into accusations of improprieties raised in an anonymous employee letter to the chairman was hampered by restrictions placed by executives, causing the findings to be "largely predetermined," according to a report from a committee of Enron's board.

The New York Times

And, these two distinct regulatory pathways are largely predetermined by the association of the sRNAs with specific AGO complexes (Fang and Qi, 2016).

Rice

Our findings also suggest that the extent of restoration and the time required to detect it are largely predetermined by the response variables we choose to assess recovery.

Marine Environmental Research

However, social mobility is largely predetermined by residential segregation, income inequality, primary school education, access to social capital and family stability.

Huffington Post

If death is largely predetermined and critical care is simply delaying the inevitable, should we not direct resources elsewhere, sparing the patient and their loved ones unnecessary suffering and false hope?

Critical Care

Therefore, aside from the likely adaptive advantages presented by a modular exchange of this cassette, these specific breakpoints may have been largely predetermined by the underlying mechanisms of mastrevirus recombination.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was largely predetermined" to convey that an outcome was significantly influenced by prior conditions or decisions, implying limited control over the final result. For example, "The company's success was largely predetermined by its early investments in technology."

Common error

Avoid using "was largely predetermined" when the outcome was merely influenced, not substantially decided in advance. Using it inaccurately can give the impression that the result was unavoidable, when other factors may have played a significant role.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was largely predetermined" functions as a descriptive expression, indicating that an outcome or event was significantly influenced or decided in advance. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

38%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

4%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "was largely predetermined" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression indicating that an outcome was significantly influenced by prior conditions. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It's used to express inevitability or limited agency, with a neutral to formal tone suitable for news, science, and business contexts. While it implies significant influence, it doesn't necessarily mean the outcome was completely fixed. Related phrases include "was mostly decided in advance" and "was largely inevitable". When using this phrase, avoid overstating the degree of predetermination to maintain accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was mostly decided in advance

Emphasizes the temporal aspect of the decision, highlighting that the decision happened before the event.

was primarily established beforehand

Highlights the establishment of conditions that led to the outcome.

was largely inevitable

Indicates the outcome was unavoidable given the circumstances.

was to a great extent foreordained

Suggests a sense of destiny or predetermination by a higher power or fate.

was virtually certain to happen

Focuses on the high probability of the outcome occurring.

was heavily influenced from the start

Emphasizes the initial influence that shaped the final result.

was substantially preset

Highlights the prior setting of conditions or parameters.

was predominantly shaped beforehand

Focuses on the prior shaping of the events.

was in effect predetermined

Emphasizes the practical, if not absolute, predetermination of the outcome.

was for the most part rigged

Suggests the outcome was manipulated or unfairly controlled.

FAQs

How can I use "was largely predetermined" in a sentence?

You can use "was largely predetermined" to indicate that an outcome was significantly influenced or decided in advance. For example: "The election result "was largely predetermined" by the demographic trends."

What are some alternatives to "was largely predetermined"?

Alternatives include "was mostly decided in advance", "was primarily established beforehand", or "was largely inevitable", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "was largely predetermined" in formal writing?

Yes, "was largely predetermined" is appropriate for formal writing, especially when you need to convey that certain factors significantly influenced the outcome in advance.

What's the difference between "was largely predetermined" and "was completely predetermined"?

"Was largely predetermined" implies that the outcome was significantly influenced but not entirely fixed, while "was completely predetermined" suggests that the outcome was entirely fixed and unavoidable. The first allows for some degree of variance, while the second does not.