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

The union’s national leadership followed suit, voting to refuse to handle U.S. military cargo destined for Israel. —Micah Danney, New York Daily News, 24 June 2024

Twins make final trip to Coliseum With the A’s destined to move to Sacramento for the 2025 season, this will be the last visit to the Coliseum for a team that has caused both celebration and heartbreak in the East Bay. —Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 21 June 2024

Under a ground stop, planes destined for airports experiencing adverse conditions are not allowed to take off. —Jill Cassidy, The Arizona Republic, 21 June 2024

The Coco These affordable glamping pods cluster around an open-air lounge, a setup that’s destined to remain popular for years to come as people prioritize proximity to nature. —Paul Brady, Travel + Leisure, 20 June 2024

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