adjective
Synonym Usage
See essential.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inherent
First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin inhaerent- (stem of inhaerēns ), present participle of the verb inhaerēre inhere; see -ent
Compare meaning
How does inherent compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Use the adjective inherent for qualities that are considered permanent or cannot be separated from an essential character. We use the adjective inherent to describe attributes that are part of the essential nature of something. It's different from you being tall, rather than being a description, it has to be a quality and this quality is unchangeable. So, for example, if you have never been able to eat spinach, you have an inherent dislike of it.
Vocabulary lists containing inherent
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 3
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Dear Martin
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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.
There is an inherent tension in political social media.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
The drug Sovaldi is a great example of that inherent conflict.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
There are several mechanisms inherent to prediction market apps that make them a little different than putting it all on red.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026
Downs: Even before we started, there was just inherent chemistry.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
A population’s inherent inclination to expand would be severely counterbalanced by the limitations of resources; its natural wont met by natural want.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
