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• destiny
  destiny

  noun

  something that is to happen or has happened to a particular person or thing; lot or fortune.
• Destiny
  Destiny

  noun

  the power that predetermines events, personified as a goddess

destiny

American  

[des-tuh-nee] / ˈdɛs tə ni /

noun

• destinies
  plural

1. something that is to happen or has happened to a particular person or thing; lot or fortune.

   Synonyms:

   kismet, karma, fate

2. the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events.

   Synonyms:

   future

3. the power or agency that determines the course of events.

4. (initial capital letter) this power personified or represented as a goddess.

5. the Destinies, the Fates.

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destiny ¹ British  

/ ˈdɛstɪnɪ /

noun

1. the future destined for a person or thing; fate; fortune; lot

2. the predetermined or inevitable course of events

3. the ultimate power or agency that predetermines the course of events

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Destiny ² British  

/ ˈdɛstɪnɪ /

noun

1. the power that predetermines events, personified as a goddess

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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

• destinies
  plural

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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

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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.”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

destiny Destiny destinies

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’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

“Our destiny is not written. We still have time.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

Many wandering souls were eager to meet their destiny, which was most assuredly better than their scrounging, struggling existence in this world.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

In January, another horse, named Destiny, ran into traffic near the park, causing a multi-car collision.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

Relatives said Destiny Harrison was home-schooling Isaiah with a computer program.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026

Song remains adamantly offline, relying on the "Four Pillars of Destiny" astrology in braille and on her four decades of experience in careful listening -- a skill her automated competition cannot match.

From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 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

There’s Destiny and Lauren K, who must have gotten back together, because there they are with their arms around each other in Lauren K’s backyard.

From "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti

Until then, he exhorted his students to control their own destinies, likening AI personalization to the rudder on a sailboat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 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

There was appreciation for his endeavour to become a voice for the voiceless and focus on the poor and those whose destinies were not in their own hands.

From BBC ● May 9, 2025

I reported in 2021 that shareholders were already asking for more disclosures from managements about how their activities contribute to climate change, and more about how climate change will affect their destinies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 8, 2024

By instinct now, it responded to the slanting wing, the dark, enlarging speck, growing each moment, lowering, and coming toward Ben and his family, whose very destinies were fastened to the humming frames of jets.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

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Related Words

• circumstance
• future
• inevitability
• intention
• objective
• prospect

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