doom

1 of 2

noun

ˈdüm 

1

: a law or ordinance especially in Anglo-Saxon England

2

a

: judgment, decision

especially : a judicial condemnation or sentence

b(1)

: judgment sense 5a

(2)

: judgment day sense 1

3

a

: destiny

especially : unhappy destiny

b

: death, ruin

doom

2 of 2

verb

doomed; dooming; dooms

transitive verb

1

: to give judgment against : condemn

2

a

: 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

Noun

• ruling
• sentence
• verdict
• judgement
• judgment

Verb

• destine
• fate
• ordain

Choose the Right Synonym for doom

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.

the actor felt that he was doomed to be forever remembered for that one terrible performance

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

One of the many spin-offs of the Air Bud and Air Buddies franchises, this Halloween film follows five puppies on a Halloween adventure to stop the evil warlock and save the town from inevitable doom. —Marilyn La Jeunesse, Parents, 5 Aug. 2025

But there were not bands as singularly drenched in doom. —John Darnielle, Pitchfork, 24 July 2025

Verb

When the cost and time differential is so vast, the legacy approach is doomed. —Dr. Jonathan Reichental, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025

Maybe things would have turned out differently if the team was in Hartford all along, but any efforts, no matter how sincere, to make that happen now were doomed. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 3 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English dōm; akin to Old High German tuom condition, state, Old English dōn to do

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing doom

• doom merchant
• gloom and doom
• meet one's doom
• prophet of doom
• prophets of doom
• spell doom

Rhymes for doom

• blume
• boom
• broom
• flume
• fume
• gloom
• glume
• groom
• loom
• plume
• rheum
• room

Kids Definition

doom

1 of 2 noun

ˈdüm 

1

: a decision made by a court : sentence

2

a

: a usually unhappy end

b

: death sense 1, ruin

doom

2 of 2 verb

1

: condemn sense 2

2

: to set on a fixed course to an unhappy end

the plan was doomed to failure