fate
Americannoun
-
something that unavoidably befalls a person; fortune; lot.
It is always his fate to be left behind.
-
the universal principle or ultimate agency by which the order of things is presumably prescribed; the decreed cause of events; time.
Fate decreed that they would never meet again.
-
that which is inevitably predetermined; destiny.
Death is our ineluctable fate.
-
a prophetic declaration of what must be.
The oracle pronounced their fate.
-
death, destruction, or ruin.
-
Classical Mythology. the Fates, the three goddesses of destiny, known to the Greeks as the Moerae and to the Romans as the Parcae.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
the ultimate agency that predetermines the course of events
-
the inevitable fortune that befalls a person or thing; destiny
-
the end or final result
-
a calamitous or unfavourable outcome or result; death, destruction, or downfall
verb
Synonym Usage
Fate, destiny, doom refer to the idea of a fortune, usually adverse, that is predetermined and inescapable. The three words are frequently interchangeable. Fate stresses the irrationality and impersonal character of events: It was Napoleon's fate to be exiled. The word is often lightly used, however: It was my fate to meet her that very afternoon. Destiny emphasizes the idea of an unalterable course of events, and is often used of a propitious fortune: It was his destiny to save his nation. Doom especially applies to the final ending, always unhappy or terrible, brought about by destiny or fate: He met his doom bravely.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
fatesimple
-
fatessimple
-
have fatedperfect
-
has fatedperfect
-
am fatingprogressive
-
are fatingprogressive
-
is fatingprogressive
-
have been fatingperfect progressive
-
has been fatingperfect progressive
Past
-
fatedsimple
-
had fatedperfect
-
was fatingprogressive
-
were fatingprogressive
-
had been fatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of fate
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, Middle French, from Latin fātum “what has been spoken, utterance, decree of fate, destiny,” originally neuter of fātus, past participle of fārī “to speak”
Explanation
Is it your fate to win a fortune in the lottery and retire young? Better hope so. Fate is like destiny, so that means winning the lottery would be an inevitable outcome. The word fate traces back to the Latin word fatum, meaning “that which has been spoken,” and something that's your fate is a done deal, not open to revision. If you feel like something is your fate, you feel it's beyond your control. Fate is often referred to directly, as if it were a supernatural power: “fate tore us apart." It can also describe your lot in life, like if it's your fate to take over the family farm.
Vocabulary lists containing fate
The Diary of Anne Frank
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Monkey's Paw," Vocabulary from the short story
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act III
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
It wants to avoid a similar fate in Chicago; now the airline is in a heated competition against rival United Airlines for terminal space in O’Hare International Airport.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Our own solar system is expected to experience a similar fate in the distant future.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 16, 2026
Maybe there’s a chance Letterboxd will be sold to Versant, and the company will integrate movie tickets and Rotten Tomatoes scores directly into its interface — it wouldn’t be the worst fate.
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
The reader felt his brother got the short end of the stick, but he did not appear to be blaming anyone except fate itself.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
A hope that Brickbane had been wrong, that Clare had not been a terrible, unloved animal who deserved a terrible fate.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Consider the fates of the British Invasion superstars who emerged from England alongside the Stones in the 1960s.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
While there’s nothing particularly novel about that plot, it pulls you along, and the series as a whole is orchestrated to make one care about the characters and worry over their fates.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
The fates of all three companies are intertwined, as their leaders—including Musk, OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei—have sparred with one another over a technology they helped launch together.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
Yes, Mercedes have the best car, and yes the fates turned against Russell in various ways in both the Chinese and Japanese Grands Prix, which he could easily have won.
From BBC ● May 3, 2026
I even explained the origins of the term “geek,” how so many of them, once destined to be marginalized outcasts, were using technology to alter their fates, change their destinies, build a new culture.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
Their fated romance is the final piece of the puzzle, the pièce de résistance that helps De Palma’s film rise above the other thrillers of its ilk.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
But he was fated to spend more than two-thirds of his career in opposition, and only briefly achieved cabinet rank.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
If you lack investment discipline and don’t have a plan to handle your winners and losers, you are likely fated to lose more than you should—and to earn less than you could.
From Barron's ● Apr. 29, 2026
But with challenges or recent decisions across multiple circuits, experts say the fight is fated for the Supreme Court.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 19, 2026
Apollo had declared that he was fated to kill his father.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
This was a wolf on the defensive, fating a pack which had turned upon his leadership.
From Destiny by Buck, Charles Neville
Now was his hope a great bulk of will fating Its wish to being, now felt he he was blind In some point of his seen wish undefined.
From Antinous: A Poem by Pessoa, Fernando António Nogueira
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.
