eventually
Americanadverb
adverb
-
at the very end; finally
-
(as sentence modifier) after a long time or long delay
eventually, he arrived
Etymology
Origin of eventually
Explanation
Eventually refers to an unspecific time when something will be completed, and it usually suggests it won't be done soon. Think of eventually being said with a big sigh, as though the speaker knows that it will take a long time before something will be finished. Still, it does allow for the hope that, although it might not be anytime soon, it will be done at last — a promise fulfilled. Not now, maybe, but eventually.
Vocabulary lists containing eventually
"Seventh Grade" by Gary Soto
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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"In the Spotlight," Vocabulary from the informational text
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They eventually narrowed the sample to ten high-quality events for which they could reliably determine both the black hole's feeding rate and the timing of its radio outflows.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 21, 2026
Authorities used helicopters, drones and infrared technology to search for Spencer, and eventually located him in the forest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
Don’t be surprised if he eventually agrees to part with CNN for the right price.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 21, 2026
They're 16th in the Championship having diced with relegation last season, eventually finishing 20th in what was Montgomery's breakthrough season.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
In the nineteenth century, people wrote anyway, in the hopes that communications to loved ones would eventually show up, even if months or years late.
From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
