fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome.
the fate of the submarine is unknown
destiny implies something foreordained and often suggests a great or noble course or end.
the country's destiny to be a model of liberty to the world
lot and portion imply a distribution by fate or destiny, lot suggesting blind chance
it was her lot to die childless
, portion implying the apportioning of good and evil.
remorse was his daily portion
doom distinctly implies a grim or calamitous fate.
if the rebellion fails, his doom is certain
Example Sentences
Noun The papers are filled with stories of gloom and doom. the story of a mysterious creature who lures travelers to their doomVerb A criminal record will doom your chances of becoming a politician. the actor felt that he was doomed to be forever remembered for that one terrible performance
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Avoid this by replacing doom-scrolling with something meaningful, including a hobby, quality time with family, getting outside or working out. Sara M Moniuszko, USA TODAY, 26 Aug. 2022 Yet the more profound surrender here is to life’s avalanche — that crushing cascade of romance, fear, desire, anger, desperation and doom-scrolling. Bobby Olivier, SPIN, 26 July 2022 One reads into his neutral expression Milky’s mournful contemplation of doom — mirrored, too, in the cow’s big, glistening eyes, made out of a foam that has been painted with a clear resin. Peter Marks, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022 The wide sidewalks have always been rough around the edges, peppered with tacky souvenirs and placard-waving preachers of doom. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 15 Aug. 2022 Though Lesnar and Reigns have mostly ran out of things to to do, there was an incredibly inventive spot where Brock Lesnar flipped the ring, almost on its side, using the trailer of doom. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes, 30 July 2022 On election night, while most Americans were doom-scrolling social media into the wee hours, climber Emily Harrington was feeling optimistic while racking up at the base of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Andrew Bisharat, Outside Online, 6 Nov. 2020 When the most powerful alleviative known to science has bestowed the last Judas kiss, what shall soothe such doom? Fitz Hugh Ludlow, Harper’s Magazine , 17 Aug. 2022 Cyber Harm Reduction Not everything at Black Hat involves privacy gloom and security doom.PCMAG, 12 Aug. 2022
Verb
The ruling will also likely further weaken the country’s standing in international climate negotiations, and some environmentalists fear the collateral damage could doom efforts to avert the worst of global warming. Sabrina Shankman, BostonGlobe.com, 30 June 2022 TikTok also has a democratizing sweep that truly puts the power to make a new, or old, song a hit in the hands of users, a big change from the days when record labels could doom an artist just by pulling marketing dollars. Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 11 June 2022 At least one member of the committee during the meeting publicly expressed fear that the potential legal fallout from the report and the cases documented could doom the 177-year-old convention. William Thornton | Wthornton@al.com, al, 2 June 2022 Waiting a decade for proof from clinical trials of a definitive impact on memory loss would doom millions of people to suffer with advancing dementia with no hope for treatment. Elenee Argentinis, STAT, 12 Aug. 2022 Will our own personal demons doom us from succeeding in our work? Ew Staff, EW.com, 10 Aug. 2022 Even a single bite will doom you to perish bloated on the toilet. Ryan Chapman, The New Yorker, 15 July 2022 Their declarations carry major political implications, given recessions can doom whatever party is in power. Jim Puzzanghera, BostonGlobe.com, 23 July 2022 The message financial markets sent at the time was simple: centrifugal forces between the diverse ethnic nations would tear Europe apart and doom the single currency. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 21 July 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Old English dōm; akin to Old High German tuom condition, state, Old English dōn to do
First Known Use
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1