doom

noun

\ ˈdüm

Definition of doom

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a law or ordinance especially in Anglo-Saxon England

2a : judgment, decision especially : a judicial condemnation or sentence

b(1) : judgment sense 5a

(2) : judgment day sense 1

3a : destiny especially : unhappy destiny

b : death, ruin

doom

verb

doomed; dooming; dooms

Definition of doom (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to give judgment against : condemn

2a : to fix the fate of : destine felt he was doomed to a life of loneliness

b : to make certain the failure or destruction of the scandal doomed her chances for election

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about doom

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Choose the Right Synonym for doom

Noun

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 doom in a Sentence

Noun

The papers are filled with stories of gloom and doom. the story of a mysterious creature who lures travelers to their doom

Verb

A criminal record will doom your chances of becoming a politician. had always felt that he was doomed to remain single forever

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Afterlife with Archie cheerfully drops bloody gobbets of doom on the carefree world of Riverdale. — Noah Berlatsky, The Verge, "Why zombies are so hilarious," 5 Dec. 2018 The effects of globalization and the digital divide were icing on an already baking doom-cake. — Jon Talton, The Seattle Times, "In America’s ‘geography of despair,’ how to help the left-behind places?," 21 Nov. 2018 However, life on set wasn’t all doom and gloom for Badgley. — Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, "Penn Badgley talks 'Gossip Girl' reboot rumors, playing a creepy stalker in 'You'," 7 Sep. 2018 Some of Trump’s advisers say the president is not all doom and gloom, however. — Philip Rucker, Washington Post, "‘Pure madness’: Dark days inside the White House as Trump shocks and rages," 3 Mar. 2018 For him, data are destiny, and the destiny of a Republican Party that refuses to evolve is doom. — Alexander Nazaryan, Newsweek, "Can Donald Trump, the Most Unpopular President Ever, Save Republicans From a Massive Defeat in 2018?," 21 Feb. 2018 If the Pads are ever relevant again, if the games finally begin to matter, all will not be doom and gloom. — Tom Krasovic, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Decade later, Gwynn has no regrets about tripling Pads' pain," 29 Sep. 2017 Frank Lee bucked free from the back of a delivery truck chauffeuring him to his doom at a small abattoir in Brooklyn in April 2016. — Zolan Kanno-youngs, WSJ, "Escape From New York: Slaughterhouse Refugees Have a Country Place," 1 Oct. 2018 Shortly after, the man dies while standing in line at the A&P. Was the phantom orange scent a warning sign of his impending doom? — NBC News, "Phantom smells may be a sign of trouble," 10 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Natural disaster, climate change, nuclear war ... there are a number of factors that could doom humanity. — Discover Magazine, "How will the world end?," 14 Sep. 2018 Some scientists lay the blame squarely on humanity’s shoulders, arguing overhunting doomed the planet's megafauna. — Jason G. Goldman, Scientific American, "In 200 Years Cows May Be the Biggest Land Mammals on the Planet," 20 Apr. 2018 In Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Claudia Kim plays a character doomed with a blood curse. — Lisa Mischianti, Marie Claire, "Get to Know The Crimes of Grindelwald Star Claudia Kim," 9 Nov. 2018 My old teacher Theodore Hershberg, longtime head of the Center for Greater Philadelphia at Penn, used to tell us that factories have always closed down; that’s not what dooms cities to poverty. — Joseph N. Distefano, Philly.com, "Philly poverty: Cause, or effect?," 11 July 2018 What doomed this particular game was the setting of that violence and death—a school—combined the particular sensitivities of the country at this moment in history. — Alia Wong, The Atlantic, "The Rapid Retraction of a School-Shooting Video Game," 5 June 2018 Political scientists Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt document warning signs — like rising partisan rancor — that have plagued and doomed democracies in the past. — Zack Beauchamp, Vox, "We aren’t alarmed enough about Jeff Sessions’s firing," 8 Nov. 2018 The idea was simple, ahead of its time, and ultimately doomed. — Dieter Bohn, The Verge, "Intel is preparing for a dual-screen computer future," 18 Oct. 2018 The results could be seen as a victory for Trump, who had urged Republican voters to reject Blankenship as doomed to lose to incumbent Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin in November. — Alex Pappas, Fox News, "Morrisey pulls off upset in W.Va. Senate primary, as Indiana’s Braun and Ohio’s Renacci win nominations," 2 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'doom.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.