fateful Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite having momentous consequences; of decisive importance
    fatal.
    • that fateful meeting of the U.N. when...it declared war on North Korea"- Saturday Rev
    • the fatal day of the election finally arrived
  2. adjective satellite ominously prophetic
    foreboding; portentous.
  3. adjective satellite (of events) having extremely unfortunate or dire consequences; bringing ruin
    fatal; calamitous; disastrous; black.
    • the stock market crashed on Black Friday
    • a calamitous defeat
    • the battle was a disastrous end to a disastrous campaign
    • such doctrines, if true, would be absolutely fatal to my theory"- Charles Darwin
    • it is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it"- Douglas MacArthur
    • a fateful error
  4. adjective satellite controlled or decreed by fate; predetermined
    fatal.
    • a fatal series of events

WordNet

Fate"ful adjective
Definitions
  1. Having the power of serving or accomplishing fate. "The fateful steel." J. Barlow.
  2. Significant of fate; ominous.
    The fateful cawings of the crow. Longfellow.
    -- Fate"ful*ly, adv.- Fate"ful*ness, n.

Webster 1913