adjective
Related Words
See essential.
Other Word Forms
- inherently adverb
- noninherent adjective
- uninherent adjective
Etymology
Origin of inherent
First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin inhaerent- (stem of inhaerēns ), present participle of the verb inhaerēre inhere; -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.
The investment case here avoids the volatility inherent in energy commodity exposure.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026
It is still unclear what AI shopping will look like, and there is inherent tension between retailers and AI companies as they figure that out.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
It’s a zero-sum game for filmmakers and viewers alike, who would both do well to recognize the inherent value in surprise.
From Salon • Apr. 3, 2026
There is nothing innate to human psychology or inherent in modern economies that indicates recessions are part of an inevitable business cycle, he writes in his new book, Recession.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
Around nine o’clock, darkness set in with its inherent cloak of anonymity for the lawless.
From "A Few Red Drops: The Chicago Race Riot of 1919" by Claire Hartfield
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.
