Word
destiny
Phoneticsdes·tiny
US/ˈdɛstəni/
UK/dˈɛstɪni/
Definitions
01predetermined future
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a power that is believed to control what happens in the future.
n. the agency or irresistible power conceived of as determining the future; often treated as an abstract, personified force.
“Some people believe that their destiny is written in the stars before they are born.”
“The ancient Greeks often depicted destiny as a force that even the gods were powerless to circumvent.”
Antonyms
02personal life path
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the things that will happen to a person in their life, which may feel like they were meant to happen.
n. the eventual fate or particular state of a person or thing in the future, whether viewed as inevitable or as a goal to be achieved.
“She felt that it was her destiny to become a famous surgeon and help people.”
“After years of wandering, he finally felt he had fulfilled his destiny by returning to his ancestral home to lead the community.”
Real-World Examples
“They represent competing answers to the older question of what is needed for Brazil to remain master of its own destiny.” “But the Wulz sisters were determined to create their own destiny.” Etymology
From the noun destiny since the 1970s.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/destiny