manifest destiny

noun

variants often Manifest Destiny

: a future event accepted as inevitable

in the mid-19th century expansion to the Pacific was regarded as the Manifest Destiny of the United States

broadly : an ostensibly benevolent or necessary policy of imperialistic expansion

Examples of manifest destiny in a Sentence

They were living in a time when expansion to the Pacific was regarded by many people as the Manifest Destiny of the United States.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Whether the wall can achieve that or not, the project is now driven by a kind of Trumpian manifest destiny. —

Nick Miroff, The Atlantic, 17 Mar. 2026 Taylor Sheridan’s manifest destiny is spreading to network-TV cop shows. —

Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025 The Lakers sometimes felt as if they were backed by a manifest destiny more than ruthless competence. —

Mike Vorkunov, New York Times, 19 June 2025 The Abandons follows a group of diverse, outlier families pursuing their Manifest Destiny in 1850s Oregon, as a corrupt force of wealth and power, coveting their land, tries to force them out. —

Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for manifest destiny

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of manifest destiny was in 1845

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

manifestative

manifest destiny

manifester

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Manifest destiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manifest%20destiny. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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