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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ventus and Venire
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
By comparison, fruit stored at 30°C showed early thinning of cell walls, starch depletion, and eventual cell collapse.
From Science Daily • May 23, 2026
This can hurt the caregiver’s finances, worsen their retirement prospects and shrink their eventual Social Security benefit.
From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026
That question may ultimately define the future of digital privacy law more than the court’s eventual holding about geofence warrants themselves.
From Slate • May 20, 2026
That was back when he was pouring everything he had into the electric-car maker and reusable-rocket company—whose eventual successes would make him wildly wealthy.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
With initial funds from Tom White, and Farmer’s eventual strong support, Jim created a system of community health workers in Carabayllo.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
