fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome.
the fate of the submarine is unknown
destiny implies something foreordained and often suggests a great or noble course or end.
the country's destiny to be a model of liberty to the world
lot and portion imply a distribution by fate or destiny, lot suggesting blind chance
it was her lot to die childless
, portion implying the apportioning of good and evil.
remorse was his daily portion
doom distinctly implies a grim or calamitous fate.
if the rebellion fails, his doom is certain
Examples of destiny in a Sentence
They believed it was their destiny to be together.
motivated by a sense of destiny
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There was a false start or two, but the big, bad beast of a bus has finally completed its destiny.—New Atlas, 15 June 2025 His message was clear — Nvidia is the company that can help Europe build its artificial intelligence infrastructure so the region can take control of its own destiny with the transformative technology.—Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 14 June 2025 The mass of a star—how much matter is in it—determines most of its properties, including its temperature, color, brightness, evolution and even its destiny, so this is something astronomers are very keen to understand.—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 12 June 2025 The world is basically taking its destiny in its hands and acting for the ocean.—Vivienne Walt, Time, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for destiny
Word History
Etymology
Middle English destinee, from Anglo-French, from feminine of destiné, past participle of destiner — see destine
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