eventuality
Americannoun
-
eventualities
plural
-
a contingent event; a possible occurrence or circumstance.
Rain is an eventuality to be reckoned with in planning the picnic.
-
the state or fact of being eventual; contingent character.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of eventuality
Explanation
An eventuality is an event that just might happen in the future. For example, I store fresh drinking water in the basement to be prepared for several eventualities. You can see the word "event" at the beginning of eventuality. Use that as a clue to remember that an eventuality is an event that might happen — eventually. Winning the lottery, a Mars landing, finding a cure for cancer, nuclear war: these are just some of the eventualities for which we should either get ready or try to prevent. What do you think are some of the eventualities for which the team should prepare? Tripping, falling, and landing on your butt are all eventualities for which the odds will increase during the ice storm.
Vocabulary lists containing eventuality
John F. Kennedy's Address to the American People on the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)
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!
And Then There Were None
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!
John Lewis (1940–2020) Tribute List
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.
See Examples For:
And there is now a growing eventuality that he will be back as England captain at Trent Bridge.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
The May 10 Substack essay that began circulating in the wake of her Instagram post did nothing to dispel that eventuality.
From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2026
In that eventuality, the ECB’s economists forecast that inflation would average 3.5% this year, well above its 2% target.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026
Iran had previously said it was ready for any eventuality and defiantly refused to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which it closed in retaliation for the attack launched on February 28.
From Barron's ● Apr. 7, 2026
But Reverend Thomas didn’t intend to wait for that eventuality, so as Sister Monroe approached the pulpit from the right he started descending from the left.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
At the time, she told reporters that the government "stands ready for all eventualities", including temporary nationalisation.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Fully guaranteed money is protected against all three eventualities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
"So we're getting rid of that variability by making something that's across the board recognisable by your immune system that should cover you from all these eventualities ... a real big paradigm change," he said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
Nobody wants to think about such eventualities, but it’s best to account for all possible scenarios in legal documents.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 21, 2026
And yes, there were precautions administrators took to indemnify themselves against all eventualities.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
