noun

predestination

pree-des-tuh-NAY-shun

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Predestination (noun) means the Christian doctrine that God has decided in advance who will be saved, so that a person's eternal fate is settled by divine choice rather than earned by their own actions. Example: “Calvin's account of predestination split the Reformation church.”

noun

The Christian doctrine that God has decided in advance who will be saved, so that a person's eternal fate is settled by divine choice rather than earned by their own actions.

"Calvin's account of predestination split the Reformation church."

"The sermon dwelt on predestination and the limits of free will."

More broadly, the belief that everything that happens has been fixed in advance by God or by fate.

"He treats every coincidence as evidence of predestination."

How to use predestination

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe idea that God has already decided how things, including who is saved, will turn out.

When to use it

Theological and formal; outside religion it appears mainly in philosophical discussion of free will.

Memory tip

In theology, predestination concerns salvation specifically; determinism is the wider claim that all events are fixed by prior causes.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

determinism → fatalism → providence → free will

Common pairings

doctrine of predestination Calvinist predestination predestination and free will double predestination

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Test yourself on “predestination” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

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Can you complete this real example?

Calvin's account of _____ split the Reformation church.

Etymology

From Latin praedestinare meaning 'to determine beforehand', from prae 'before' and destinare 'to appoint'.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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election foreordination divine decree destiny fate determinism kismet predetermination preordination

Antonyms

free will chance

Related words

find chance happen design risk election purpose opportunity

Rhymes for predestination

region cation ablation allusion emulsion ideation novation diffusion elocution extension oxidation perfusion

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between predestination and free will?

Predestination holds that outcomes, especially salvation, are settled in advance by God. Free will holds that people genuinely choose their own actions. Many theologians argue the two are compatible — that God's foreknowledge does not force the choice — but the tension between them is one of the oldest debates in Christian thought.

What is the difference between predestination and determinism?

Predestination is a religious doctrine: a personal God has decreed what will happen. Determinism is a philosophical or scientific claim: every event follows necessarily from prior causes and physical laws, with no divine agent required.

What is double predestination?

Double predestination is the stricter version of the doctrine, holding that God actively chooses both those who will be saved and those who will be damned. Single predestination holds that God elects the saved while simply passing over the rest rather than condemning them by decree.

What is the meaning of predestination?

"predestination" (noun) means the Christian doctrine that God has decided in advance who will be saved, so that a person's eternal fate is settled by divine choice rather than earned by their own actions.

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