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Glite Dictionary
to predispose

to predispose

6 6.9
To make someone more likely to have a condition or behave in a certain way
  • verb
  • /ˌpriːdɪˈspoʊz/
translation icon : predisponer
  • A small upper airway predisposes to OSA. This can be due to a larger neck size and obesity.
  • predisposing factors
  • predispose individuals
  • predispose adolescents

And that unusual location can predispose one to sudden death.

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Examples

  • Conditions that appear to predispose to OSA include hypothyroidism and acromegaly.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The reduced lung function at this age does not seem to predispose one to persistent wheezing later in childhood.

    Academic text (1999)

  • All I'm saying is that they predispose you to the disease.

  • And it's going to create the win at all cost culture and, you know, honestly predispose people to cheat.

    Rich Roll

  • Physical inactivity could predispose the general public to overweight and obesity.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Conversely, reading fitness magazines may also predispose adolescent males who have a vulnerable body image to become more dissatisfied.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Physiological adaptations that helped American blacks survive slavery may now be predisposing their descendants to hypertension.

    Academic text (1991)

  • Professional voice users should be educated regarding predisposing factors and common presenting symptoms of submucosal vocal fold hemorrhage.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Other diseases, including HIV infection and the chronic use of antibiotics, also predispose patients to invasive fungal sinusitis.

    Academic text (1995)

  • A high or low arch can also predispose you to certain types of injury.

Synonyms

to sensitize
vsto predispose
3 6.1

Make a person more likely to react to something like an allergen or idea

makes someone generally more likely or susceptible to a condition or action

How Likely

to cause
∞ 1.0
to expose
479 3.2
to predispose
6 6.9
to encourage
∞ 2.3
to nudge
24 4.1

Surface Forms

predispose infinitive
predisposed past
predisposed past participle
predisposing present participle
predisposes third person singular

Morphology

predispose = dispose (semi-transparent) = pre + dispose

The step from 'dispose' to 'predispose' is partly interpretable as 'incline beforehand', but many learners mainly know 'dispose' in other senses such as 'get rid of' or 'arrange'.

Etymology

Predispose comes from pre- meaning 'before' and dispose meaning 'to place' or 'arrange', the same root you see in disposition. So to predispose someone is to put them in a state beforehand that makes them more likely to have a feeling, habit, or illness.