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inevitable

inevitable

467 4.6
Certain to happen and cannot be stopped
  • adjective
  • /ɪˈnɛvɪtəbl/
translation icon : inevitable
  • Sure change is inevitable when growth is the goal.
  • almost inevitable
  • become inevitable
  • seems inevitable

They train so hard that winning is inevitable on race night.

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Examples

  • And although problems and catastrophes may be inevitable, solutions are not.

  • All the signs point to the inevitable confrontation between the forces of good and evil.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • So it's, it's inevitable that this question will come up.

  • It's the next inevitable phase.

  • Listen, change is inevitable, but progress is optional.

  • By now it's fate was inevitable and the city fell with little struggle.

  • They train so hard that winning is inevitable on race night.

  • No sense postponing the inevitable.

  • Some argue that migration from Earth is inevitable; it's in the myths of many cultures.

    Academic text (1999)
  • When faced with the challenges of climate change, it is inevitable that we must adapt our strategies.

Synonyms

certain
vsinevitable
946 1.0

Sure to happen or be true

stresses inability to avoid occurrence rather than mere certainty
unstoppable
vsinevitable
79 4.0

Impossible to prevent from continuing or reaching its goal

highlights unavoidable occurrence rather than continued goal success
unavoidable
vsinevitable
45 3.8

You cannot stop or prevent it

adds that the event is certain to happen
inescapable
vsinevitable
31 5.4

Certain to happen and cannot be avoided

stresses plain certainty rather than the experience aspect
fatal
vsinevitable
  • Archaic
14 4.3

Decided by fate and impossible to change

is about certainty to happen without implying fate control
inexorable
vsinevitable
  • Formal
11 8.6

Impossible to stop or change

focuses more on being certain to happen rather than relentless force
ineluctable
vsinevitable
  • Formal
2 9.9

Impossible to avoid or escape

stresses that it will certainly occur rather than only being hard to avoid
unpreventable
vsinevitable
1 6.3

Impossible to stop from happening

highlights its assured occurrence, not just preventability

Antonyms

36 3.5

Someone can stop it by acting before it happens

15 3.1

Something you can prevent by taking action

1 9.9

Something you can avoid

Compounds

An unexpected event you cannot stop even with great care

How Certain

certain
946 1.0
inevitable
467 4.6
likely
1.0
possible
1.0

Surface Forms

inevitable positive
inevitabler comparative
inevitablest superlative

Morphology

inevitable = evitable (semi-transparent) = in + evit + able

The formation 'in-' + 'evitable' is morphologically regular, but the base 'evitable' (and root 'evit') is rare and its link to the common verb 'avoid' is not obvious to many learners.

Etymology

Inevitable comes from Latin parts in- meaning 'not' and evit- meaning 'to avoid', which is the same idea as the English word avoid. So, inevitable describes something certain to happen and impossible to avoid.