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inherently

American  
[in-her-uhnt-lee, -heer-] / ɪnˈhɛr ənt li, -ˈhɪər- /

adverb

  1. as a natural, necessary, or inseparable element or quality.

    Technology is not inherently evil.


Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of inherently

inherent ( def. ) + -ly

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing inherently

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.

Screen Rant's Patrice Witherspoon noted: "Inherently, witnessing a woman propel insults at people is humorous, but sadness layers the script, making it deeply moving."

From BBC • Oct. 14, 2024

Inherently, my personal experiences as a working-class daughter of African immigrants who live in Brooklyn, shouldn’t relate to the stories of Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte – but they do.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2024

Inherently it’s a little bit skewed from objective reality.

From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2022

Inherently, it’s a retail store, but it’s also a cultural place.

From Slate • Nov. 25, 2020

Inherently many of our devices are of a wasteful character, not only on account of the need of special forms of transmission, but because they are required to operate under greatly varying loads.

From Principles of Mining Valuation, Organization and Administration by Hoover, Herbert

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