First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
inevitable
adjective in·ev·i·ta·ble \i-ˈne-və-tə-bəl\
: sure to happen
Full Definition of INEVITABLE
: incapable of being avoided or evaded <an inevitable outcome>
— in·ev·i·ta·bil·i·ty \-ˌne-və-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun
— in·ev·i·ta·ble·ness \-ˈne-və-tə-bəl-nəs\ noun
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Examples of INEVITABLE
- The captain of archers fidgeted and coughed and rolled his eyes at his men, as if such cupidity and dishonor were an inevitable but minor aspect of the human predicament … —Michael Chabon, New York Times Magazine, 6 May 2007
- In a society that has gold-plated everything from hubcaps to teeth, it was perhaps inevitable that someone would find a way to add some bling to bacteria. —Zach Zorich, Discover, February 2006
- The Vikings disappeared, but the Inuit survived, proving that human survival in Greenland was not impossible and the Vikings' disappearance not inevitable. —Jared M. Diamond, Collapse, 2005
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Origin of INEVITABLE
Middle English, from Latin inevitabilis, from in- + evitabilis evitable
Related to INEVITABLE
- Synonyms
- certain, ineluctable, ineludible, inescapable, necessary, sure, unavoidable, unescapable, in the bag, in the cards (also on the cards)
INEVITABILITY Defined for Kids
inevitable
adjective in·ev·i·ta·ble \i-ˈne-və-tə-bəl\
Definition of INEVITABLE for Kids
: sure to happen : certain <It was inevitable that the clash for leadership should come. — Jack London, The Call of the Wild>
— in·ev·i·ta·bly \-blē\ adverb
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