subject to fate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "subject to fate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the influence of fate or destiny on events or outcomes in life. Example: "Despite all our efforts, we are ultimately subject to fate and must accept whatever comes our way."

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Although Sumerian gods could be bungling and cowardly and sometimes even subject to fate, they retained the power to punish humans who offended them.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Idolum, like the body, is subject to fate and to the rule of celestial influences.

SEP

Are we free when even the gods are subject to Fate? Do the gods themselves ever do evil?

Huffington Post

The souls of people and animals are emanations from this primordial fire, and are, likewise, subject to Fate: Individual souls are perishable by nature, and can be "transmuted and diffused, assuming a fiery nature by being received into the Seminal Reason (logos spermatikos) of the Universe".

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

While comet ISON may thrill the crowds, 2012 DA14 will be a reminder that the solar system offers more than spectacle: humanity is still subject to cosmic fate, and needs to keep its eyes open.Benjamin Sutherland: freelance correspondent, The Economist.

The Economist

Antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic compounds are different pollutants that have different modes of action and are subject to different fate processes in the environment (Martinez 2009).

Environmental Health Perspectives

So I've been more steadily interested in exploring lives involved in complex families with lengthy histories which are endlessly subject to change and fate, and such lives are generally heterosexual.

The New York Times - Books

"I've been more steadily interested in exploring lives involved in complex families with lengthy histories which are endlessly subject to change and fate, and such lives are generally heterosexual".

The New York Times - Books

Biochemical Sciences, as well as Nutritional and Metabolic Sciences, may also be subject to the same fate.

Science Magazine

By coincidence, the other club to have done so was Manchester City, who were subject to the same fate in 1926.

Wikipedia

The body was carried out through the opposite door and laid in one of the five or six waiting trucks, whereupon the next condemned was taken inside and subject to the same fate.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the noun 'fate' is not capitalized unless you are personifying it as a specific deity or entity

Common error

Do not confuse "subject to fate" with "subjected to fate". While "subject to" describes a state of being vulnerable to or under the rules of destiny, "subjected to" implies an active force has recently imposed a specific, usually negative, experience upon someone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "subject to fate" functions as an adjectival complement, typically following a form of the verb "to be". According to Ludwig AI, it combines the adjective "subject" (meaning prone to or under the power of) with a prepositional phrase defining the governing force.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "subject to fate" is a robust and grammatically correct expression used to describe the condition of being under the influence of an external, inevitable power. According to Ludwig AI, while the specific three-word sequence is categorized as Rare in terms of exact matches, its variants—such as "subjected to the same fate"—are widely used in journalism and historical writing. It is a favored expression in philosophical and literary domains, appearing in authoritative sources like The New York Times and Encyclopedia Britannica to discuss the limits of power and the inevitability of change. Writers should choose this phrase to add a layer of gravity or timelessness to their prose, being careful to distinguish it from its more active counterpart "subjected to".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at the mercy of fate

Emphasizes a total lack of control or defense against destiny

governed by fate

Suggests a more systematic or law-like rule of destiny

under the control of destiny

Uses more common, direct vocabulary for a similar meaning

bound by destiny

Implies a sense of inevitability and a fixed path that cannot be escaped

beholden to fate

Suggests an obligation or a state of being owed to destiny

subject to the whims of chance

Increases the focus on unpredictability and randomness

ordained by destiny

Carries a more formal, spiritual or divine connotation

ruled by providence

Introduces a religious or protective nuance to the concept of fate

predetermined

A technical, single-word adjective describing the state of being already decided

fated

The most concise passive form, often used to describe a specific event rather than a general state

FAQs

How to use "subject to fate" in a sentence?

In a sentence, "subject to fate" typically follows a linking verb. For example: "Even the most powerful kings are ultimately "subject to fate"."

What can I say instead of "subject to fate"?

You can use alternatives like "at the mercy of fate", "governed by fate" or "bound by destiny" depending on the tone you want to set.

What is the difference between "subject to fate" and "subjected to fate"?

The phrase "subject to fate" describes a permanent condition or vulnerability, whereas "subjected to a fate" often refers to a specific, often cruel, event that someone was forced to undergo.

Which is more common, "subject to fate" or "subjected to the same fate"?

While "subject to fate" is used in philosophical contexts, Ludwig data shows that "subjected to the same fate" is very frequent in news reports when comparing similar tragic outcomes.