English Reference
noun

destiny

n.
US /ˈdɛstəni/ UK /dˈɛstɪni/ des·tiny UK spelling destinies, destiny's

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    a power that is believed to control what happens in the future.

    the agency or irresistible power conceived of as determining the future; often treated as an abstract, personified force.

    Simple

    Some people believe that their destiny is written in the stars before they are born.

    In context

    The ancient Greeks often depicted destiny as a force that even the gods were powerless to circumvent.

    choicefree will
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    the things that will happen to a person in their life, which may feel like they were meant to happen.

    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.

    Simple

    She felt that it was her destiny to become a famous surgeon and help people.

    In context

    After years of wandering, he finally felt he had fulfilled his destiny by returning to his ancestral home to lead the community.

But the Wulz sisters were determined to create their own destiny.

The Guardian· 25 Aug 2026

From the noun destiny since the 1970s.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated