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Synonyms

inexorably

American  
[in-ek-ser-uh-blee] / ɪnˈɛk sər ə bli /

adverb

  1. in a way that is unyielding, unchangeable, or unavoidable.

    Fate seemed to be working inexorably, relentlessly, to bring about the dictator's downfall.


Etymology

Origin of inexorably

inexorab(le) ( def. ) + -ly -

Explanation

Something that behaves inexorably is unmovable, not persuadable, or relentless: like your heart beating inexorably as the rollercoaster climbs inexorably up the hill. Like a runner heading toward the finish line or a story spiraling to an end, the adverb inexorably is for things that have momentum and just keep going. A boulder falling down a mountain is moving inexorably. If you fail class after class, you're moving inexorably toward flunking out of school. People are always aging, and we're all moving inexorably (though slowly) toward death. This is a strong word for powerful events and forces that just won't stop.

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Vocabulary lists containing inexorably

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:

A note from Goldman Sachs’s portfolio strategy research team warned investors on Wednesday about the mounting risks associated with hyperscaler capex estimates that seem to rise inexorably.

From MarketWatch Jun. 11, 2026

History is not a world-spirit moving inexorably towards some breezy, sunlit upland of wisdom.

From Salon Mar. 28, 2026

Faulkner found it in the patient, steadfast Dilsey of “The Sound and the Fury,” and in his greatest novel, “Absalom, Absalom!” he showed how its absence led inexorably to the ruin of Thomas Sutpen.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 19, 2026

Plenty of bumps remain along the trading roads that inexorably lead to India.

From Barron's Feb. 18, 2026

The wind gave it the appearance of flowing, although she knew it couldn’t be: a great mass of water flowing inexorably towards the houses and businesses of Jericho behind her.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

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