adjective
Related Words
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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Tuesdays with Morrie
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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.
Koh warned that if the ICJ ruled the right to strike was not inherent in the Convention, companies and governments could start to unpick labour deals around the world.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
But there’s no inherent reason why patients need to disproportionately shoulder those costs.
From Salon • May 15, 2026
But Källenius said that Mercedes’s inherent strengths as a large-volume automaker could help it operate more directly in the military hardware space.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
But drivers retain concerns about closing speeds with the reduced visibility inherent in the rain.
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
In Tannhauser, Lohengrin and The Mastersingers of Nuremberg he reworked ancient legend-fables so that his contemporaries would be uplifted by the chivalric pride inherent in the tales.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
