fateful

adjective

fate·​ful ˈfāt-fəl 

1

: having a quality of ominous prophecy

a fateful remark

2

a

: involving momentous consequences : decisive

made his fateful decision to declare war

—W. L. Shirer

b

: deadly, catastrophic

3

: controlled by fate : foreordained

fatefully

ˈfāt-fə-lē 

adverb

fatefulness noun

Synonyms

• calamitous
• cataclysmal
• cataclysmic
• catastrophic
• damning
• destructive
• disastrous
• fatal
• ruinous
• unfortunate

Choose the Right Synonym for fateful

ominous, portentous, fateful mean having a menacing or threatening aspect.

ominous implies having a menacing, alarming character foreshadowing evil or disaster.

ominous rumblings from the volcano

portentous suggests being frighteningly big or impressive but now seldom definitely connotes forewarning of calamity.

an eerie and portentous stillness

fateful suggests being of momentous or decisive importance.

the fateful conference that led to war

Examples of fateful in a Sentence

His life changed on that fateful November evening.

Hundreds perished on that fateful day.

Her campaign took a fateful turn.

Recent Examples on the Web

Simon was invited to the fateful lunch but declined the invitation the night before. —Rachel Treisman, NPR, 7 June 2025

Conditions were poor that fateful day when the steam ship was hit by German sailing vessel Theodor Ruger. —Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 6 June 2025

The pair had been bosom-buddy allies ever since Musk’s fateful endorsement of Trump last July—an event that helped propel Trump to an electoral victory and his second presidential term. —Lee Billings, Scientific American, 5 June 2025

Simmons was a Hasidic Orthodox Jew from Israel who found a new faith one fateful day while exiting the yeshiva. —Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 5 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1720, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fateful

• ungrateful
• grateful
• hateful

Kids Definition

fateful

adjective

fate·​ful ˈfāt-fəl 

1

: foretelling usually bad things to come

a fateful remark

2

: having serious results : important

a fateful decision

fatefully

-fə-lē 

adverb

fatefulness noun