Meaning & use
fate
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Meanings
noununcountable
A force believed to decide events in advance, beyond human control.
Grammar: Uncountable: leave it to fate.
Patterns
- leave something to fate
She believed fate brought them together.
Some people leave their future to fate.
nouncountable
What eventually happens to a person or thing, especially something bad.
Grammar: Countable, often with of: the fate of the town.
Patterns
- the fate of someone
The fate of the missing hikers is unknown.
The company met the same fate as its rivals.
Word forms
| plural | fates |
|---|
Common combinations
- seal someone's fate
- The mistake sealed his fate.
- meet one's fate
- The villain met his fate.
- twist of fate
- By a twist of fate, they met again.
- tempt fate
- Don't tempt fate by driving tired.
- the fate of
- The fate of the bill is uncertain.
Synonyms and how they differ
- destiny
- Destiny sounds more positive, a path meant for you.
- fortune
- Fortune suggests chance and luck.
- doom
- Doom is a dreadful, unavoidable fate.
- lot
- Lot is your portion in life, often a hard one.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: fate or fete?
fate vs fete
A fete is an outdoor party or fair; it sounds the same as fate.
Practice
The judge's decision will ___ the fate of the company.
Choose one answer.
Decide the fate of is the natural phrase. Tempt fate is a different fixed phrase and does not take of the company.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fate”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.