fateful

[ feyt-fuh l ]
/ ˈfeɪt fəl /

adjective

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.

QUIZZES

FOR POSTERITY’S SAKE, TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Are words your bailiwick? Take the latest quiz on the words from July 6 to July 12 to find out.
Question 1 of 7
bailiwick
a creature, variously described as a serpent, lizard, or dragon, said to kill by its breath or look.
place or source of origin.
a person's area of skill, knowledge, authority, or work.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of fateful

First recorded in 1705–15; fate + -ful

SYNONYMS FOR fateful

1, 4 See ominous.

OTHER WORDS FROM fateful

fate·ful·ly, adverbfate·ful·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH fateful

fatal fateful fetal (see synonym study at fatal)

Words nearby fateful

fatbody, fate, fate map, fate worse than death, a, fated, fateful, fates, fath, fath., fathead, fathead minnow
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for fatefully

British Dictionary definitions for fatefully

fateful
/ (ˈfeɪtfʊl) /

adjective

having important consequences; decisively important
bringing death or disaster
controlled by or as if by fate
prophetic

Derived forms of fateful

fatefully, adverbfatefulness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012