unavoidable
Americanadjective
adjective
-
unable to be avoided; inevitable
-
law not capable of being declared null and void
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of unavoidable
1570–80; un- 1 + avoidable ( def. )
Explanation
Use the adjective unavoidable to describe something that you can't escape or avoid. Going to your family reunion is unavoidable if there's no way for you to get out of it. Obligations are unavoidable, since they are responsibilities that have to be honored. Letting your grandmother pinch your cheek is unavoidable, and paying your rent is also unavoidable. As you get older, it's unavoidable that your knees will get stiffer — there is no way to avoid having this happen. Unavoidable comes from the verb avoid, which is rooted in the Anglo-French avoider, "to clear out or withdraw oneself."
Vocabulary lists containing unavoidable
"Core Curriculum: Introductory Craft Skills," Vocabulary from Module Four
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Shut Up, This Is Serious
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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 NHS trust said in a statement: "While this late change means some disruption to services is unavoidable, we are working quickly to restore services wherever possible."
From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026
The one bit of unavoidable pomp was Dudamel conducting the premiere of John Williams’ “Bravo Gustavo,” commissioned by the L.A.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026
It has made the problem of religion unavoidable: the problem of belief, of credibility, of the criteria by which one extraordinary claim earns our trust while another should be resisted.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
But he warned that "tough choices are unavoidable as we make savings", in a note to staff.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
And it was a hurricane with one unavoidable exhortation: Roll over, Beethoven .
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.
