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.

---

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

"Inevitably, it disrupts work and leads to less work being accomplished," he told BFM television.

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

Inevitably, exponential “towers of powers”—a chain of exponents stacked vertically—can metaphorically tip over, hitting their functional limit.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

Inevitably, the demands of competing on all fronts takes its toll and that can also lead to more injuries, a problem Tottenham in particular have had to contend with.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

Inevitably, some asset classes will lag behind and funds investing in those classes will appear weak.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026

—Benny Maestas Inevitably, Kyril Montana paid a visit to Milagro.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols

Related Words

• necessarily
• surely