fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome.
the fate of the submarine is unknown
destiny implies something foreordained and often suggests a great or noble course or end.
the country's destiny to be a model of liberty to the world
lot and portion imply a distribution by fate or destiny, lot suggesting blind chance
it was her lot to die childless
, portion implying the apportioning of good and evil.
remorse was his daily portion
doom distinctly implies a grim or calamitous fate.
if the rebellion fails, his doom is certain
Examples of destiny in a Sentence
They believed it was their destiny to be together.
motivated by a sense of destiny
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With complete control of its destiny, the WSL has accelerated its growth, becoming one of the premier women’s leagues in the world, alongside the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the U.S. and Spain’s Liga F.—Vitas Carosella, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025 This sense of destiny led Musk on October 5, 2024, to a Trump rally in western Pennsylvania.—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025 The Royals are just outside of a playoff spot, but have seen little improvement from their offense this season, and would need to have a strong stretch to control their destiny this season.—Hunter Mulholland, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025 The Trump administration may take control of the project underground, but New Yorkers still control our own destiny above it.—Tony Simone, New York Daily News, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for destiny
Word History
Etymology
Middle English destinee, from Anglo-French, from feminine of destiné, past participle of destiner — see destine
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