adjective

inevitable

/ɪnˈɛvɪtəbəl/ · say it: in·EV·uh·tuh·bul

certain to happen; unavoidable

In Sophisticated Everyday

In more detail

certain to happen; impossible to avoid or prevent

Examples

After months of financial troubles, the company's collapse seemed inevitable.

How to use inevitable

Inevitable describes something that will certainly happen and cannot be prevented or avoided, often used when discussing unpleasant or unwelcome events. It carries a sense of acceptance or resignation and is more formal than "sure to happen." The related adverb inevitably is used to indicate that something happened or will happen as a necessary result.

Common phrases

inevitable consequence
inevitable outcome
inevitable result
seem inevitable
make something inevitable
inevitable decline

Synonyms

unavoidable · inescapable · certain · bound to happen · assured

Opposites

avoidable · preventable · uncertain

Word family

inevitability (noun) · inevitably (adverb)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse inevitable with "unavoidable" in writing, but these are not quite interchangeable—inevitable emphasizes the certainty of occurrence, while unavoidable emphasizes the inability to escape or sidestep something.

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