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.
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.
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
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.
See fate.
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
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.”
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Injuries, subpar performances by Rams players and coaches, and outstanding clutch play by opponents — see the 2025 Super Bowl-champion Seattle Seahawks — could derail the Rams’ presumptive date with destiny.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Whether he chooses to fulfill his destiny alongside his twin remains to be seen.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
His goal: dictate China’s destiny for years to come in order to grow the country’s power and match the U.S. in military might and economic clout.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Cavanaugh wrote that the company will “control our own destiny, play offense and move with urgency.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
I forced my brain not to think about my destiny or myself.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
Many of them have already risen sharply, including the Destiny Tech100 closed-end fund, KraneShares Public-Private AI & Technology ETF, and Fundrise Innovation Fund.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
The makers of Destiny 2 will stop releasing content updates for the game, effectively drawing to a close one of the industry's longest-running live-service eras.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
Shares of closed-end fund Destiny Tech100 have been whipsawed this week, reflecting the promise and peril of trying to access stocks before their IPOs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
But Destiny Tech100 only computes its NAV quarterly, which means investors will not get an update on its fair value until the end of its fiscal second quarter.
From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026
“I can make nothing of such a hand as that; almost without lines: besides, what is in a palm? Destiny is not written there.”
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
In fact, the destinies of the three drivers who ultimately contested victory were effectively decided as they intertwined at Turn Nine in the dying seconds of the final session on Saturday.
From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026
Plus, they were fellow petrostates, their destinies tied to the vast pools of oil beneath their sovereign lands.
From Barron's ● May 7, 2026
Neither he nor his country, he believed, could fulfill their destinies on the world stage without a war.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2025
“Fat Ham” practices what it preaches by lavishing laughter and delight as it encourages us to take our destinies caressingly in hand.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2024
Under the philosophy that now seems to guide our destinies, nothing must get in the way of the man with the spray gun.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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.
