1
Core quality
Decided, fixed, or set in advance.
Example
Samples were tested in a predetermined sequence.
predetermined
/ˌpriːdɪˈtɜːmɪnd/ · pree-dih-TUR-mindadjective
Decided, fixed, or set in advance.
Use predetermined to express this relationship precisely: decided, fixed, or set in advance.
What predetermined Really Means
The word becomes easier to use when its closely related senses are separated and compared.
2
Attributive or predicative use
Use this adjective before a suitable noun or after a linking verb such as be or seem.
Example
The experiment did not assume a predetermined outcome.
3
Analytical distinction
Choose it when this exact descriptive quality matters; a related word may overlap without conveying the same trait.
Example
Each category had a predetermined upper limit.
Use predetermined Naturally
Notice how the surrounding noun or clause reveals the exact shade of meaning.
Samples were tested in a predetermined sequence.
The experiment did not assume a predetermined outcome.
Each category had a predetermined upper limit.
Precision Matters
Predetermined overlaps with several common words, but each carries a different emphasis.
predetermined
vs.Means decided, fixed, or set in advance.
irrevocable
Means impossible to reverse, revoke, alter, or take back.
predetermined
vs.Means decided, fixed, or set in advance.
immutable
Means unchanging over time or incapable of being changed.
predetermined
vs.Means decided, fixed, or set in advance.
ineluctable
Means inescapable; inevitable.
predetermined
vs.Means decided, fixed, or set in advance.
contingent
Means dependent on a condition or event that may or may not occur.
Test predetermined in Context
The order was fixed in advance.
1
To prevent bias, the researchers followed a ___ order established before seeing any results.