in the cards

prepositional phrase

Destined or fated to happen; predicted or foreseen.

“I don't think another child is in the cards for them.”

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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. idiomaticDestined or fated to happen; predicted or foreseen.

    I don't think another child is in the cards for them.

    2 more examples

    You will not sell enough to put in your eye. It is not in the cards.

    1947, United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Appropriations, Government Corporations Appropriation Bill for 1948, page 31

    Sometimes a trip to the spa is not in the cards, even if your gel manicure has seen waaaay better days. These polish remover tools help cut costs and keep your natural nails looking v nice.

    2024 October 8, Lauren Gruber, Megan Uy, “We Found Sooo Many Viral TikTok Items on Sale for October Prime Day”, in Cosmopolitan

Origin

Referring to the reading of tarot cards to foresee the future.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 在所難免 /在所难免, 有可能發生 /有可能发生
  • 在所難免 /在所难免 (zàisuǒnánmiǎn)destined
  • 有可能發生 /有可能发生 (yǒu kěnéng fāshēng)destined
Finnish korteissa
  • korteissadestined
Polish pewny
  • pewnydestined
Cite this entry
APA

in the cards. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20cards

MLA

“in the cards.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20cards. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in the cards,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20cards.

Source: in the cards on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.