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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Across Europe, renewables surged dramatically in 2024; the war in Ukraine has pushed the Continent toward controlling its own energy destiny.—Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 9 July 2025 What’s surprising is the utter disregard — willfully or naively — for blatant flaws in the communist worldview, where Big Government controls our destiny at the expense of a free market that made New York prosperous and appealing to college graduates in the first place.—Luka Ladan, New York Daily News, 5 July 2025 Torn between them, Lily must decide if destiny is leading her toward unexpected love.—Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 1 July 2025 Thank you, Leonard, your entrepreneurial spirit and passion for the beauty industry have changed many destinies and your legacy will continue to live on in the next generation.—Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 17 June 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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