destiny and fortune share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. destiny means “an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future”. fortune means “an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another”. fortune is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈdɛstəni/
1.n.an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
2.n.the ultimate agency regarded as predetermining the course of events (often personified as a woman)
“we are helpless in the face of destiny”
3.n.your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
“whatever my fortune may be”
| destiny | fortune | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈdɛstəni/ | /ˈfɔɹtʃən/ |
| Said | DEH-stuh-nee | FAWR-chuhn |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Letters | 7 | 7 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun |
| Senses | 3 | 4 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | fate | luck, chance, hazard |
Full entry for destiny · Full entry for fortune · More comparisons
/ˈfɔɹtʃən/
1.n.an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
“bad luck caused his downfall”
2.n.a large amount of wealth or prosperity
3.n.an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that leads to a favorable outcome
“it was my good luck to be there”