eventual
Americanadjective
-
happening at some indefinite future time or after a series of occurrences; ultimate.
His mistakes led to his eventual dismissal.
- Synonyms:
- later, consequent, subsequent
-
depending upon uncertain events; contingent.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of eventual
1605–15; < Latin ēventu ( s ) event + -al 1, modeled of French éventuel
Explanation
The adjective eventual is used to describe something that is likely to happen in the indefinite future. If you are a teen, you can't wait for your eventual graduation from high school, but later, you'll look back fondly on those same high school days. Eventual implies that the result will occur due to circumstances already set in motion or if a given set of circumstances happens. In other words, eventual is not used to randomly predict the future. You may hope to win the lottery in the future, but you can't talk about your eventual lottery win because you have no way to guarantee your numbers will be chosen — unless you've figured out a way to rig the system. If you have, maybe you should think about your eventual jail time.
Vocabulary lists containing eventual
Ancient Greece, Lessons 1–3
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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Ventus and Venire
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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.
The source said Lopez had recently requested the appointment of an eventual successor, suggesting he was contemplating a transition before his mandatory retirement at the age of 75, in 2027.
From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026
Pereira, who replaced Dyche in February, guided Forest to 16th in the Premier League - five points above the relegation zone - and the Europa League semi-finals, where they lost to eventual winners Aston Villa.
From BBC • Jul. 6, 2026
That means an eventual downturn looms on the horizon.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 3, 2026
Analysts widely believe Monday’s announcement is a prelude to eventual sales of both Comcast and NBCUniversal, a theory that Comcast rejects.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026
Though it will make survival possible for only a select portion of our population, unless we take extreme measures, we face the eventual extinction of the human race.
From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner
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.
