destined

Meanings

1. 1adjectiveafter a verb

   Certain to happen or to become something, as though fixed in advance by fate.

   Grammar: Usually follows be and takes to: she was destined to succeed.

   Patterns

   • be destined to do something
   • be destined for something

   She felt she was destined to become a doctor.

   The plan seemed destined to fail from the start.

   They were destined for greatness.

2. 2adjectiveafter a verb

   Sent or travelling toward a particular place.

   Grammar: Followed by for: goods destined for Europe.

   Patterns

   • be destined for somewhere

   The ship was destined for Lisbon.

   Most of the grain is destined for export.

   The package was destined for a distant island.

Common combinations

destined to fail

The project seemed destined to fail.

destined for greatness

Everyone said the young pianist was destined for greatness.

destined to meet

They were destined to meet again.

destined for the scrapheap

The old machine was destined for the scrapheap.

seem destined

Our team seems destined to win this year.

Synonyms and how they differ

fated

Fated is more poetic and stresses the power of fate, while destined can also be practical.

bound

Bound is more informal and suggests likelihood, not fate, as in bound to happen.

doomed

Doomed is always negative, whereas destined can be positive or negative.

meant

Meant to be is warmer and speaks of purpose, while destined sounds more serious.

Opposites

Word family

destiny noun

the events that will happen to someone, seen as fixed

destine verb

to set apart for a purpose

destination noun

the place someone is going to

predestined adjective

fixed in advance

Commonly confused: destined or destination?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “destined”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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