adv · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation, US:/ɪˈnɛvɪtəbli/
Received-Pronunciation, US:/ɪˈnɛvətəbli/
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CMU ARPABET:IH2 N EH1 V AH0 T AH0 B L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
In a manner that is impossible to avoid or prevent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
Inevitably, all creatures eventually die.
The sun inevitably rises.
Despite the town's best efforts, the dam inevitably gave way.
The inevitably cold winter approaches.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
As usual; predictably; as expected.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
Inevitably, the next-door neighbour began to mow his lawn just as she lays down her head after a long night shift.
The child inevitably began to cry when his mother went to work.
The inevitably long line of customers queued for the latest 'Harry Potter'.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adverb
Meaning 3
in such a manner as could not be otherwise
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
it is necessarily so
we must needs by objective
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: necessarily, of necessity, needs
Antonyms: none provided
4
adverb
Meaning 4
by necessity
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the situation slid inescapably toward disaster
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: inescapably, ineluctably, unavoidably
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English inevitable Middle English -ly English -ly English inevitably From inevitable + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
62 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
onvermydelik
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Albanian:
pashmangshmërisht
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Belarusian:
непазбе́жна
(njepazbjéžna)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Belarusian:
неміну́ча
(njeminúča)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Belarusian:
няўхі́льна
(njawxílʹna)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Bulgarian:
неизбе́жно
(neizbéžno)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Catalan:
inevitablement
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Chinese Mandarin:
必將 /必将
(bìjiāng)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Chinese Mandarin:
必然
(bìrán)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Chinese Mandarin:
不可避免地
(bùkě bìmiǎn de)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Czech:
nevyhnutelně
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Czech:
neodvratně
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Danish:
uundgåelig
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Dutch:
onvermijdelijk
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Esperanto:
neeviteble
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Finnish:
vääjäämättä
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Finnish:
vääjäämättömästi
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Finnish:
väistämättömästi
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
French:
inévitablement
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Galician:
inevitablemente
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Galician:
inevitabelmente
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
German:
zwangsläufig
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Greek:
αναπόφευκτα
(anapófefkta)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Greek:
αναπότρεπτα
(anapótrepta)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Greek:
σίγουρα
(sígoura)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Hungarian:
elkerülhetetlenül
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Hungarian:
óhatatlanul
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Hungarian:
szükségszerűen
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Italian:
inevitabilmente
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Japanese:
起こるべくして
(okorubekushite)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Japanese:
当然
(tōzen)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Japanese:
必ず
(kanarazu)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Japanese:
必然的に
(hitsuzenteki ni)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Kazakh:
болмай қоймайтын
(bolmai qoimaityn)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Macedonian:
неизбежно
(neizbežno)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Norwegian Bokmål:
uunngåelig
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Norwegian Bokmål:
uvegerlig
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Occitan:
inevitablament
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Old English:
unforbugendlīċe
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Polish:
nieuchronnie
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Portuguese:
inevitavelmente
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Romanian:
inevitabil
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Romanian:
în mod inevitabil
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Russian:
неизбе́жно
(neizbéžno)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Russian:
немину́емо
(neminújemo)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Serbo-Croatian:
не̏избе̄жно
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Serbo-Croatian:
не̏избје̄жно
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Serbo-Croatian:
nȅizbēžno
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Serbo-Croatian:
nȅizbjēžno
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Slovak:
nevyhnutne
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Slovene:
neizogibno
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Spanish:
inevitablemente
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Spanish:
indefectiblemente
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Swedish:
ofrånkomligen
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Turkish:
ister istemez
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Ukrainian:
немину́че
(nemynúče)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid
Ukrainian:
невідворо́тно
(nevidvorótno)
— in a manner that this impossible to avoid