fate
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a power that is believed to control what happens in the future and cannot be changed.
n.the presumed force or divine will that predetermines events. Often used uncountably to refer to the abstract concept of destiny.
Simple“He believed it was fate that they met at the airport that day.”
In context“The ancient Greeks believed that even the gods were subject to the dictates of fate, suggesting a cosmic order beyond divine intervention.”
SynonymsAntonymsfree willchoice - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the final result of a situation, especially when it is bad or involves death.
n.the ultimate outcome or consequence of a person's life or a specific event, often carrying a negative connotation of misfortune or ruin.
Simple“The soldiers waited in the dark to learn their fate.”
In context“The CEO's fate was sealed when the board of directors voted unanimously to reject his restructuring proposal.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.in old stories, the three goddesses who controlled the lives of humans.
n.the personification of destiny in mythology, typically represented as three goddesses who spin, measure, and cut the thread of life.
Simple“In the legend, the Fates decided how long each hero would live.”
In context“The poet invokes the Fates to illustrate the fragility of human existence against the backdrop of eternal time.”
UsageUsually capitalized as 'the Fates'.
Synonymsmoiraiparcae - 04 C1 Advanced
v.to be certain to happen or to be intended by a higher power.
v.to predetermine or foreordain a specific outcome. Almost exclusively used in the passive voice as 'be fated to'.
Simple“The two lovers were fated to be apart despite their efforts.”
In context“The expedition seemed fated to fail from the outset, plagued by logistical errors and unseasonably harsh weather conditions.”
UsageCommonly followed by an infinitive, as in 'fated to fail'.
Synonyms
“Supermassive black holes are found at the centres of almost all galaxies such as the Milky Way and are thought to shape the fate of those galaxies.”
“Is your ill fate bad luck or a curse?”
From Middle English fate, from Latin fāta (“prediction”), plural of fātum, from fātus (“spoken”), from for (“to speak”). In this sense, displaced native Old English wyrd, whence Modern English weird.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.