destined
Americanadjective
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bound for a certain destination.
a freighter destined for Manila.
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ordained, appointed, or predetermined to be or do something.
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liable, planning, or intending to be or do something.
adjective
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foreordained or certain; meant
he is destined to be famous
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(usually foll by for) heading (towards a specific destination); directed
a letter destined for Europe
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of destined
Explanation
Someone who's destined is fated or meant to do something. If your mom says you're destined for a life on the stage, she means that it's certain you'll be an actor one day. Being destined for something can be great luck — if, for example, you're destined to be a millionaire. It can also mean something closer to "doomed," as you might be if you're destined to a string of bad luck after breaking a mirror and seeing a black cat run past at the exact same moment. The Old French root is destinée, "purpose, intent, fate, or destiny."
Vocabulary lists containing destined
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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The Tale of Despereaux
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Purple Hibiscus
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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.
A jump in wheat shipments, much of which was destined for China, lifted exports of farm, fishing and intermediate food products 8.9% month-over-month.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
At 1-1, Roberto Carlos' seemingly harmless cross was lofted high into the Hampden Park sky, destined to drop where D and penalty box chalk collides.
From BBC • May 28, 2026
Essentially, the auto maker will repurpose battery capacity once destined for EVs into backup power packs for utilities and data centers.
From Barron's • May 28, 2026
“If you have to venture north or south, you are destined to hit inclines that are not for every able body.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
I might learn everything there was to know about America’s history, but my own history was destined to stay a mystery forever.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
Definitions 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.
