Synonyms of in the cards

in the cards

phrase

variants also on the cards

as in necessary

impossible to avoid or evade

They knew a career as a ballet dancer wasn't in the cards for their clumsy daughter.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• necessary
• inevitable
• in the bag
• possible
• sure
• certain
• definite
• unavoidable
• likely
• inescapable
• destined
• probable
• ineludible
• ineluctable
• unescapable
• relentless
• decided
• fated
• predetermined
• settled
• unremitting
• foreordained
• preordained
• predestined
• unstoppable
• inexorable

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• uncertain
• doubtful
• unsure
• questionable
• unclear
• avoidable
• evadable
• dubious
• shaky
• preventable
• undecided
• unlikely
• unsettled
• unreliable
• improbable
• undependable

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of in the cards

So, lying in bed in his Dallas home, sleep was not in the cards. — Brody Miller, New York Times, 14 July 2026

Insider tip If a full villa is not in the cards, look at one of the mid-tier suites and then lean heavily into in-room dining; ordering an omakase-style spread plus cocktails to your room is one of the most fun ways to use this hotel. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026