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
Recent Examples on the WebWhat scares me the most is real life, a cruel destiny, the bad luck that any of us can have, and the terrible things that can happen to us in life.—William Earl, Variety, 13 May 2024 This cohort was the grit of the game — the desire to own your own destiny.—Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for destiny
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'destiny.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English destinee, from Anglo-French, from feminine of destiné, past participle of destiner — see destine
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