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

Sylvie had decided to settle in 1982 in Oklahoma, no longer following her destiny. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 11 Aug. 2024

At a time when many are mourning the relocation of Suehiro, First Street North has become a lesson for other communities seeking to take control of their destinies. —Thomas Curwen, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2024

As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. —Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 20 July 2024

The story that Rickey tells imparts a retrospective sense of destiny—a vision of a career that ran long enough, and changed enough along the way, as to cast the entire scope of Varda’s lifelong activity in a cinematic light. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2024

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