destine

verb

des·​tine ˈde-stən How to pronounce destine (audio)
destined; destining

transitive verb

1
: to decree beforehand : predetermine
was not destined to attain the throne
2
a
: to designate, assign, or dedicate in advance
believed their son was destined for the priesthood
destined to succeed
a flaw that destines them to fail
b
: to direct, devise, or set apart for a specific purpose or place
freight destined for European ports

Examples of destine in a Sentence

his extreme height seemed to destine him for a career in basketball
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What look like high-end picnic tables stacked by the dozens inside the warehouse are actually merchandise display tables, of varying heights, destined for retailers Gap and Old Navy, Philip Rosenband said. Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2025 Matos hit a line drive that appeared destined for right field. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 20 May 2025 In the nineteen-nineties, talk of Disneyfication sometimes presumed that Manhattan was destined to grow ever more prosperous and orderly, but both the 2008 recession and the 2020 pandemic reminded many New Yorkers that other fates were possible, not all of them more appealing. Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 17 May 2025 In the first film, Alex discovers that all seven people who got off that plane are still in danger because they had been destined to die in the explosion, and now Death is coming to collect. Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for destine

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French destiner, from Latin destinare, from de- + -stinare (akin to Latin stare to stand) — more at stand

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of destine was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Destine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/destine. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

destine

verb
des·​tine ˈdes-tən How to pronounce destine (audio)
destined; destining
1
: to settle in advance
a plan destined to fail
2
: to choose, assign, or dedicate in advance
destined their child for the study of law
3
: to be bound or directed
a ship destined for New York
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!