inevitable
- Certain to happen and impossible to avoid or prevent.
- So frequently associated with a situation as to seem predictable or expected.
In a sentence
- Given the severity of the storm, flooding in the valley was inevitable.
- With deadlines looming, an inevitable sense of panic settled over the team.
Usage note. Use 'inevitable' for events that truly cannot be stopped; overuse in casual speech can dilute its force and come across as fatalistic.
Where it comes from
English inevitable · entered English 15th c.
From Latin 'inevitabilis', composed of the negative prefix 'in-' and 'evitabilis' (avoidable), itself from 'evitare' (to avoid), combining 'ex-' (out) and 'vitare' (to shun). The word entered English in the 15th century.