Crossword Genius

A lot refuse to admit it's on the way up (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

destiny

'a lot' is the definition.
(lot as in a person's luck)

'refuse to admit it's on the way up' is the wordplay.
'refuse' becomes 'deny' ('deny' can be a synonym of 'refuse'**).
'to admit' is an insertion indicator.
'on the way up' is a reversal indicator.
'its' backwards is 'sti'.
'deny' going around 'sti' is 'DESTINY'.

(Other definitions for destiny that I've seen before include "The future as arranged by fate" , "portion" , "Fortune" , "Lot" , "Kismet, fate" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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