destine

verb

des·​tine ˈde-stən 

destined; destining

transitive verb

1

: to decree beforehand : predetermine

was not destined to attain the throne

2

a

: to designate, assign, or dedicate in advance

believed their son was destined for the priesthood

destined to succeed

a flaw that destines them to fail

b

: to direct, devise, or set apart for a specific purpose or place

freight destined for European ports

Synonyms

• doom
• fate
• foredoom
• foreordain
• ordain
• predestine
• predetermine
• preordain

Examples of destine in a Sentence

his extreme height seemed to destine him for a career in basketball

Recent Examples on the Web

Although teams like the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels, and Seattle Mariners could still make sense for Alonso, he seems destined to remain in Queens. —David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Feb. 2025

Punxsutawney Phil woke up on Sunday and saw his shadow, meaning we are destined for six more weeks of winter, according to legend. —Jon Haworth, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2025

Those forces seem destined to converge as consumers continue to demand high-quality, timeless pieces — but also a more accessible price point and less environmental impact. —Chrissie McClatchie, Travel + Leisure, 2 Feb. 2025

The young couple seemed destined for a respectable suburban life when, in 1978, DeGenevieve discovered Paul’s affair with her best friend. —Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French destiner, from Latin destinare, from de- + -stinare (akin to Latin stare to stand) — more at stand

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

destine

verb

des·​tine ˈdes-tən 

destined; destining

1

: to settle in advance

a plan destined to fail

2

: to choose, assign, or dedicate in advance

destined their child for the study of law

3

: to be bound or directed

a ship destined for New York