English · Word Candidate

doom

/duːm/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: dooms · dooming · doomed

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Destiny, especially terrible.

Noun

Examples

This, for the night; by day, the web and loom, / And homely houſhold-taſk, ſhall be her doom,

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

An undesirable fate; an impending severe occurrence or danger that seems inevitable.

Noun

Examples

unlike Vincent, he wasn't quite taken in by the outbreak of hopefulness on all sides. After all, nothing about the tanks or the process had been resolved; an air of doom still hung undisturbed over the project.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To pronounce judgment or sentence on; to condemn.

Verb

Examples

a criminal doomed to death

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

To destine; to fix irrevocably the ill fate of.

Verb

Examples

A man of genius […] doomed to struggle with difficulties.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “doom” mean?

Destiny, especially terrible.

Is “doom” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.