Definition

1. Verb:
   • To influence someone's opinion or feelings in advance: To cause someone to form a favorable or unfavorable impression before full consideration or experience.
   • To preoccupy or possess beforehand: To occupy or fill the mind with a particular idea or feeling to the exclusion of others.
   • To make a positive impression beforehand: To impress someone favorably from the outset, often through appearance or demeanor.

Usage

• The verb "prepossess" is used to describe the act of shaping an opinion or occupying the mind prior to a main event or full judgment. It is often used in formal or literary contexts.
• It can be used with an object (e.g., to prepossess someone) and is often found in passive constructions (e.g., to be prepossessed by/with something).

Examples

• To influence opinion in advance:
  • His dignified manner served to prepossess the committee in his favor.
  • She didn't want the glowing review to prepossess her judgment before seeing the film herself.
• To preoccupy or possess the mind:
  • The fear of failure prepossessed him, making it hard to focus on the task.
  • He was prepossessed with the idea that he was being watched.
• To make a positive initial impression:
  • Her prepossessing smile immediately put the guests at ease. (Note: This example uses the related adjective form "prepossessing" for clarity of meaning).

Advanced Usage

• "To be prepossessed by/with an idea": To be completely occupied or dominated by a particular thought or belief.
  • The entire team was prepossessed with the notion of winning the championship.
• "To prepossess someone against something": To cause someone to have an unfavorable bias beforehand.
  • The negative rumors prepossessed the public against the new policy.

Variants and Related Words

• Prepossessing (Adjective): Attractive, appealing, or creating a favorable impression.
  • He had a prepossessing appearance that made him very approachable.
• Prepossession (Noun): A preconceived opinion or bias, often a favorable one; or the state of being preoccupied.
  • She had a prepossession in favor of classical architecture.

Synonyms

• Prejudice (as a verb): To influence, usually unfairly, before full knowledge.
• Bias: To cause to feel or show inclination or prejudice.
• Preoccupy: To dominate or engross the mind of someone to the exclusion of other thoughts.
• Impress: To affect deeply or strongly in mind or feelings.

Antonyms

• Disenchant: To free from illusion or false belief.
• Disillusion: To cause to lose naive faith or trust.
• Repel: To cause a feeling of distaste or aversion.

Related Phrases and Constructions

• "To have a prepossession toward/against": To hold a preconceived favorable or unfavorable feeling about someone or something.
  • The manager had a prepossession toward candidates from his alma mater.

Verb

1. influence (somebody's) opinion in advance
2. make a positive impression (on someone) beforehand
   • A prepossessing appearance
3. cause to be preoccupied
   • The idea of his failure prepossesses him
4. possess beforehand