inevitably

American  

[in-ev-i-tuh-blee] / ɪnˈɛv ɪ tə bli /

adverb

1. in a way that cannot be avoided or escaped; as will certainly or necessarily happen.

   All we parents can do is our best, and when we inevitably screw up, we know that tomorrow's another day.

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Other Word Forms

• quasi-inevitably
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of inevitably

inevitab(le) ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

If something is totally unavoidable, it is inevitably going to happen. Inevitably, the sun will come up tomorrow. The adverb inevitably comes from the negative of the French word for "avoid" or "shun." There are things you can put off for a while, but inevitably you're going to have to deal with them at some point, like telling your family that you crashed the car. No matter how free-spirited you imagine yourself, unless you are independently wealthy, you will inevitably have to settle down and get some sort of job, like writing and editing word definitions.

Example Sentences

This will inevitably mean further temperature records – posing particular challenges for countries such as the UK and Switzerland, which are not built for extreme heat.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

With 25 lots currently in its portfolio, four homes completed and two sold, Ocean Development offers a counterpoint to the narrative that investors will inevitably upend the character that made Altadena so beloved.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

While political satire will inevitably find other ways to reach an audience, the end of “The Late Show” franchise marks a significant loss to a media format that has often shaped American consciousness.

From Salon • May 19, 2026

And the Louisiana case will inevitably return to the justices next year.

From Slate • May 18, 2026

But he thought the market inevitably would see what he had seen and adjust.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• necessarily
• surely