destiny

noun

des·​ti·​ny ˈde-stə-nē 

plural destinies

1

: something to which a person or thing is destined : fortune

wants to control his own destiny

2

: a predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency

felt that destiny would determine their future

Synonyms

• circumstance
• doom
• fate
• fortune
• kismet
• lot
• portion

Choose the Right Synonym for destiny

fate, destiny, lot, portion, doom mean a predetermined state or end.

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Features footage the director shot over 20 years, traversing all of his past films in an epic look at the romantic destiny of his perennial heroine, Qiaoqiao. —Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 9 May 2025

The Trump administration might believe that Ukraine’s destiny has no bearing on the future of the NATO alliance. —Liana Fix, Foreign Affairs, 1 May 2025

These are believed to represent the foundational structure of creation, the spiritual blueprint governing the laws of nature and our destinies. —Courtney Lane, Kansas City Star, 29 Apr. 2025

On May 1st at 11:00 p.m. EST, Uranus, the planet of revolution, currently in Taurus, forms a sextile with the North Node in Pisces (which symbolizes our collective higher destiny). —Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English destinee, from Anglo-French, from feminine of destiné, past participle of destiner — see destine

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing destiny

• manifest destiny

Kids Definition

destiny

noun

des·​ti·​ny ˈdes-tə-nē 

plural destinies

1

: something to which a person or thing is destined : fortune

2

: the course of events held to be arranged by a superhuman power