destiny
noun
something that is to happen or has happened to a particular person or thing; lot or fortune.
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destiny
American
[des-tuh-nee]
/ ˈdɛs tə ni /
noun
-
destinies
plural
-
something that is to happen or has happened to a particular person or thing; lot or fortune.
-
the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events.
- Synonyms:
- future
-
the power or agency that determines the course of events.
-
(initial capital letter) this power personified or represented as a goddess.
-
the Destinies, the Fates.
destiny
1
British
/ ˈdɛstɪnɪ /
noun
-
the future destined for a person or thing; fate; fortune; lot
-
the predetermined or inevitable course of events
-
the ultimate power or agency that predetermines the course of events
Destiny
2
British
/ ˈdɛstɪnɪ /
noun
Usage
What does destiny mean? Destiny commonly refers to a specific future or outcome that results from a predetermined or inevitable course of events. The word can also refer to the course of events itself or to the power or force thought to make such things happen. A close synonym for all of these senses of the word destiny is fate. Destiny involves what is going to happen, what has to happen, or what is meant to be. If a certain future is said to be someone’s destiny, it can mean that it’s destined (foreordained or predetermined) to happen, or that it should happen. Destiny is often thought to be out of our control, though some people believe you can control your own destiny. Destiny is sometimes personified—represented as a person, such as a goddess who has the power to determine the course of events in life. When used this way, it is often capitalized. Destiny should not be confused with density, which is the quality of how dense or compact something is. Example: I believe it was my destiny to be there that day so that we could meet—it was meant to be.
Synonym Usage
See fate.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of destiny
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English destinee, from Old French (noun use of past participle of destiner ), from Latin dēstināta, feminine past participle of dēstināre. See destine, -ee
Explanation
Destiny is what's meant to be, what's written in the stars, your inescapable fate. You might think it's your destiny to own a dog, but your sad goldfish survival rate should tell you that happy pets probably aren't in your future. A noun meaning fate, destiny is synonymous with other nouns like divine decree, fortune, and serendipity. There's no avoiding destiny — it's going to happen no matter what you do. But before you get bogged down worrying about what the distant future holds, remember what Winston Churchill said: “It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link in the chain of destiny can be handled at a time.”
Vocabulary lists containing destiny
May the 4th Be With You: Star Wars Words
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Holes
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"Bonne Annee," Vocabulary from the personal essay
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The self-described “photo-historian,” 78, was inspired by a 1788 Benjamin Franklin quote: “I have sometimes almost wished it had been my destiny to be born two or three centuries hence.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026
New Zealand have lost their first game as well, but they're going to get another go at it and the likelihood is they'll qualify, so their destiny is not lying in other people's hands.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
"That is how we will remain in control of our destiny," he added.
From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026
That’s where the flamboyantly bonkers Roadster event served as a clear indication that Tesla’s destiny isn’t to become the electric Toyota but rather to merge with SpaceX.
From Slate ● Oct. 19, 2026
“If that is the destiny laid on me...”
From "The Black Cauldron" by Lloyd Alexander
Carney says Canada needs to urgently diversify its trade relationships and has named Thursday's budget -- his second since taking office last year -- "Masters of our Destiny."
From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026
As university courses go it may raise a few eyebrows, but Destiny McGowan has no doubt that hers was very useful.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
Relatives said Destiny Harrison was home-schooling Isaiah with a computer program.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
In 2023, Destiny Byassee, a 22-year-old mother in Florida, died after the air bag in her Chevrolet Malibu exploded during a crash, a police officer who investigated the accident told the NHTSA.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
After hurrying past a bunch of screaming kids playing with a dollhouse-sized space station, we arrived at my favorite part of the exhibit, the Rotating Destiny Lab.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
It twists away as if to say that human narratives, desires and destinies are annoying no matter who they belong to.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
"Our destinies as nations have been interlinked. As Oscar Wilde said, 'We have really everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language!'"
From Barron's ● Apr. 29, 2026
An attempt was made in 1992 to "finally allow cities to take charge of their own destinies" through the 74th amendment of the Constitution.
From BBC ● Dec. 28, 2025
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.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2024
He called himself the girl’s guardian and bound their destinies together.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
