inexorable
Americanadjective
-
inexorable truth;
inexorable justice.
-
not to be persuaded, moved, or affected by prayers or entreaties.
an inexorable creditor.
- Synonyms:
- pitiless, cruel, merciless, implacable, unrelenting, unbending
adjective
-
not able to be moved by entreaty or persuasion
-
relentless
Synonym Usage
See inflexible.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inexorable
From the Latin word inexōrābilis, dating back to 1545–55. See in- 3, exorable
Explanation
When a person is inexorable, they're stubborn. When a thing or process is inexorable, it can't be stopped. This is a word for people and things that will not change direction. An inexorable person is hard-headed and cannot be convinced to change their mind, no matter what. You can also say that a process, like the progress of a deadly illness, is inexorable because it can't be stopped. A speeding train with no brakes is inexorable; it's not stopping till it crashes. When you see the word inexorable, think "No one's stopping that."
Vocabulary lists containing inexorable
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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.
For a player whose game relied on athleticism—and exposed him to more hits than other passers—it looked like the start of an inexorable decline.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Bonino served as a European commissioner and a foreign minister in Italy but was best known as a militant feminist with an inexorable dedication to political and humanitarian causes.
From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026
The Japanese currency touched an almost seven-month high against the U.S. dollar, a sharp turnaround from its seemingly inexorable slide this summer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026
M&A volume has been on an inexorable march upward for a number of years, with the only major exception coming in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 21, 2026
The bush fought back, then yielded angrily, snapping and crackling before the inexorable thrust of steel.
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
