inherently
Americanadverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inherently
Explanation
The adverb inherently means in a natural or innate manner. Some people enjoy your inherently cheerful nature, but it drives other people crazy because they find you annoyingly perky. Inherently is the adverbial form of the adjective inherent. They both come from the Latin word inhaerere, meaning "adhere to," with the root haerere meaning "to stick." Synonyms for inherently include intrinsically and essentially. If you do something inherently, it is so well ingrained in you that it's become part of who you are. If you are inherently late to every meeting, you should probably set your watch 15 minutes early.
Vocabulary lists containing inherently
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)
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The Fault in Our Stars
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The Poet X
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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.
"The design of this ride makes it inherently dangerous, and makes it dangerous in a way that no reasonable rider would expect," attorney Christopher Bulone told reporters.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
Such closeness is inherently limiting, even when it’s ideal, too.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
Plus, it’s inherently funny when a body engineered to function with extreme precision behaves ineptly.
From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026
“We will not bow our head and give up the right that is inherently ours.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 23, 2026
But horses are not inherently unbeatable; the Inka simply did not discover quickly enough where they had an advantage: on their roads.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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.
