destiny
Americannoun
plural
destinies-
something that is to happen or has happened to a particular person or thing; lot or fortune.
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the predetermined, usually inevitable or irresistible, course of events.
- Synonyms:
- future
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the power or agency that determines the course of events.
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(initial capital letter) this power personified or represented as a goddess.
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the Destinies, the Fates.
noun
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the future destined for a person or thing; fate; fortune; lot
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the predetermined or inevitable course of events
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the ultimate power or agency that predetermines the course of events
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.
Related Words
See fate.
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
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.
At a time major league owners would like you to believe market size equals destiny, the team with baseball’s longest postseason drought plays in the second-largest market in North America.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
He is the master of the manifest destiny soap opera, after all.
From Salon • Mar. 23, 2026
“And if you will not do that, your destiny will be as your leader. Do you hear me?”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
The best teams have players who take ownership of their own destiny.
From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026
If Red’s granny said that I must find my destiny, doesn’t that mean I have some say in where to look?
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
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.
