It's in the cards 🃏✨

Meaning

It is very likely or destined to happen.

Origin

Imagine a fortune teller, shuffling a deck of tarot cards. The images and symbols on those cards were believed to reveal one's future. When a significant event or outcome was predicted, it was said to be 'in the cards,' as if the destiny was literally laid out before you on the table. This colorful image of fate revealed through card reading became a popular idiom, evolving into our modern saying for something that seems inevitable or highly probable.

🍀 luck

It's in the cards represented with emoji🃏✨

This playful arrangement of a joker and sparkles functions as a delightful shorthand for destiny's whispers. It teaches the viewer that chance and a touch of magic are not just elements of a game, but woven into the fabric of what is meant to be, inviting us to ponder the sweet inevitability of certain outcomes.

Examples

  • With their top player injured, a loss for the team was probably in the cards.
  • After studying so hard, getting an A on the exam was definitely in the cards for her.
  • When the king declared a pie-eating contest, a food coma was surely in the cards for everyone.
  • Considering the dragon's insatiable appetite for shiny things, losing the royal jewels was in the cards.

Frequently asked questions

Is 'it's in the cards' a proverb or an idiom?

It's considered an idiom. Idioms are phrases where the meaning isn't deducible from the individual words, much like 'it's in the cards' suggests destiny rather than literal placement.

What's the opposite of 'it's in the cards'?

The opposite of 'it's in the cards' could be 'highly unlikely' or 'out of the question.' This emphasizes that something is not destined or probable to occur.

Does 'it's in the cards' always mean something is guaranteed?

No, while it implies strong likelihood or destiny, it doesn't guarantee an outcome. It suggests a powerful tendency or probability rather than absolute certainty.

Can 'it's in the cards' be used for negative outcomes?

Yes, 'it's in the cards' can refer to any likely future event, whether positive or negative. The phrase simply signifies inevitability or high probability, not a specific type of outcome.

Similar to "it's in the cards"

The die is cast
Both phrases point to an inevitable outcome, but 'the die is cast' carries the weight of a momentous, irreversible decision or event, a heavier fate than the more casual divination of 'it's in the cards'
Written in the stars
Like the cards, this suggests destiny, but 'written in the stars' invokes a cosmic, grander scale of fate, as if the universe itself has preordained the event, rather than just the unfolding of circumstances
Bound to happen
This phrase shares the certainty of destiny, yet it lacks the playful, almost mystical feel of peering into 'the cards'; 'bound to happen' is a direct, unadorned statement of inevitability

Opposite of "it's in the cards"

Up in the air
This argues for radical uncertainty, a stark contrast to the predictable future implied by 'it's in the cards'; the tension lies in its insistence that the outcome is not yet decided and is subject to a multitude of unpredictable factors
Against all odds
This phrase champions the power of human will and unexpected fortune over predetermined fate, highlighting the dramatic triumph possible precisely because the outcome wasn't 'in the cards' at all

Related to "it's in the cards"

A wild card
This phrase emerges from the same world of card games, but it signifies an unpredictable element that could either derail or reshape the foreseen outcome, adding a splash of chaos to the otherwise predictable 'cards'
Read 'em and weep
Often said after a victory that was clearly inevitable, this phrase shares the sense of a foregone conclusion found in 'it's in the cards', but with a taunting, triumphant energy directed at the loser
The writing's on the wall
While both suggest an impending and likely outcome, 'the writing's on the wall' often carries a more ominous or negative premonition, a warning sign rather than a neutral prediction of what's 'in the cards'
A toss-up
This phrase shares the sense of possibilities being weighed, like the shuffling of cards, but it emphasizes an equal chance for either outcome, contrasting with the often stronger implication of a particular destiny within 'it's in the cards'