fateful
Americanadjective
-
having momentous significance or consequences; decisively important; portentous.
a fateful meeting between the leaders of the two countries.
-
fatal, deadly, or disastrous.
-
controlled or determined by destiny; inexorable.
-
prophetic; ominous.
adjective
-
having important consequences; decisively important
-
bringing death or disaster
-
controlled by or as if by fate
-
prophetic
Synonym Usage
See ominous.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fateful
Explanation
A fateful moment is one that seems impossible to avoid. And when a fateful event occurs, it feels like it will have a big impact on your future — and usually not in a good way. “I can fit my head into this jar!” — fateful words that resulted in a trip to the hospital. Most of the time, fateful spells disaster. There was the fateful day you left your guinea pig’s cage door open, and there are fateful decisions that seem innocent at the time, but come back to haunt you later. Fate is the idea that your life is mapped out, and a fateful instance is one significant landmark on that map.
Vocabulary lists containing fateful
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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!
I Am Malala
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!
Island of the Blue Dolphins
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.
On Wednesday, Khamenei’s coffin was to be carried through the streets of Karbala, where the fateful 7th-century battle took place.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
Might the Iran deal, different in so many ways, nevertheless come to be seen as similarly fateful?
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
Rats are winning in New York, thanks to this fateful 1971 decision.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 11, 2026
Nikki’s interiority ceases only a moment after that fateful conversation about love and romance on the way home from the bar.
From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2026
I reach for his hand and grasp his long fingers and lace them through mine, thinking about the fateful steps that led me to him.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
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.
