If an action or a time when something happened is described as fateful, it is considered to have an important, and often very bad, effect on future events.
It was a fateful decision, one which was to break the Government.
More Synonyms of fateful
fateful in British English
(ˈfeɪtfʊl)
adjective
1.
having important consequences; decisively important
2.
bringing death or disaster
3.
controlled by or as if by fate
4.
prophetic
Derived forms
fatefully (ˈfatefully)
adverb
fatefulness (ˈfatefulness)
noun
fateful in American English
(feɪtfəl)
adjective
1.
revealing what is to come; prophetic
2.
having important consequences; significant; decisive
3.
controlled as if by fate
4. Obsolete
bringing death or destruction
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈominous
Derived forms
fatefully (ˈfatefully)
adverb
fatefulness (ˈfatefulness)
noun
Examples of 'fateful' in a sentence
fateful
Chantal and I became engaged shortly before Edward published his fateful review of O. M. Tyrrel's last novel.
Alan Judd THE DEVIL'S OWN WORK (2002)
"and I was thrilled to hear my name, so arbitrary and fateful, being used by him.
Adair, Tom (Intro) THREE KINDS OF KISSING - SCOTTISH SHORT STORIES (2002)
On that fateful day, people celebrated the final defeat of the
Adair, Tom (Intro) THREE KINDS OF KISSING - SCOTTISH SHORT STORIES (2002)
He was aware, intimately and bitterly, that his dread had been his mother's first fateful gift to him.
Wright, Richard THE OUTSIDER (2002)
In other languages
fateful
British English: fateful ADJECTIVE
If an action or a time when something happened is described as fateful, it is considered to have an important, and often very bad, effect on future events.
It was a fateful decision, one which was to break the Government.