premeditate
/priːˈmɛd.ɪ.teɪt/To plan or think about an action — especially something harmful or criminal — before actually doing it. It implies the person had time to think and made a deliberate choice, rather than acting on impulse.
- The prosecutor claimed he had premeditated the attack for weeks.
- The court found that the act was premeditated, not accidental.
- She was accused of premeditating the fraud from the start.
Adinary Nuance
Premeditate sits close to plan, plot, and scheme, but carries a much darker weight. Unlike the neutral plan, "premeditate" is almost exclusively used for harmful, violent, or criminal actions — its natural home is legal language, as in "premeditated murder." Plot and scheme also suggest negative intent, but they emphasise secrecy or group cunning; "premeditate" focuses on a single actor's deliberate prior thought. In IELTS or academic writing, using "premeditate" for neutral situations (like planning a business strategy) sounds wrong and may confuse a native-speaking reader.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- cố ý trước
- Spanish
- premeditar
- Chinese
- 预谋
- Japanese
- 事前に計画する
- Korean
- 미리 계획하다
Etymology
From Latin *praemeditari*, combining *prae-* ("before") and *meditari* ("to think, reflect"). It entered English in the late 16th century, primarily through legal and moral writing.
Common phrases
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is 'premeditate' only used for crimes?
- Almost always, yes. In everyday English and legal writing, 'premeditate' strongly suggests a harmful or criminal act was planned beforehand. Using it for neutral plans (like a holiday or a business move) sounds unnatural and may confuse readers.
- What is the difference between 'premeditate' and 'plan'?
- 'Plan' is neutral — you can plan a birthday party or a business trip. 'Premeditate' is negative by nature; it implies thinking through a harmful action in advance, with full intent. You would never say 'I premeditated my study schedule.'
- Is 'premeditate' formal or informal?
- 'Premeditate' is formal and is most common in legal, academic, and journalistic writing. In everyday conversation, people are more likely to say 'he planned it all along' or 'it was deliberate' rather than 'he premeditated it.'
- What does 'premeditated' mean in law?
- In law, 'premeditated' means the person thought about and intended to commit the act before it happened. 'Premeditated murder' — often called first-degree murder — is treated more seriously than killing done in the heat of the moment.