Definition of INELUCTABLE

Other Words from ineluctable

ineluctability \ ˌi-ni-ˌlək-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

ineluctably \ ˌi-ni-ˈlək-tə-blē

\ adverb

Did You Know?

Like drama, wrestling was popular in ancient Greece and Rome. "Wrestler," in Latin, is "luctator," and "to wrestle" is "luctari." "Luctari" also has extended senses - "to struggle," "to strive," or "to contend." "Eluctari" joined "e-" ("ex-") with "luctari," forming a verb meaning "to struggle clear of." "Ineluctabilis" brought in the negative prefix in- to form an adjective describing something that cannot be escaped or avoided. English speakers borrowed the word as "ineluctable" around 1623. Another word that has its roots in "luctari" is "reluctant." Reluctari means "to struggle against" - and someone who is "reluctant" resists or holds back.

Examples of ineluctable in a Sentence

the ineluctable approach of winter had many worried about the cost of heating their homes

Recent Examples on the Web

Democracies are also prone to disorder and corruption, but these are ineluctable features of any political system comprised of selfish and flawed human beings. — Sean Illing, Vox, "Intellectuals have said democracy is failing for a century. They were wrong.," 20 Dec. 2018 But there remains the ineluctable sense that something is badly, mysteriously wrong—if nothing else, because neither Kawhi nor the Spurs organization seems to need, or want, to clear things up. — Nathaniel Friedman, GQ, "The Silence Around Kawhi Leonard Used to Be Comforting," 18 Apr. 2018 Selection bias might partially explain the high incidence, but head injuries are an ineluctable part of football, and neurologists are continuing to learn more about the relationship between football and CTE. — Theodore Kupfer, National Review, "Will Football Survive?," 14 Dec. 2017 Yet like all stars, this palpable humanity comes with an ineluctable facility for both holding the screen and your attention. — Manohla Dargis, New York Times, "The Versatile and Resilient Amy Adams," 16 Oct. 2017 Gone is the original’s joyful sense of mischief; what’s left is an inoffensive piece of twaddle that never fully appreciates the ineluctable bond between community spirit and a drop of the hard stuff. — Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times, "Review: Even Laughs Are Rationed in a ‘Whisky Galore!’ Reboot," 11 May 2017 In both, the Far North exhibits an attraction that turns ineluctable, then fatal. — Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, "Literature’s Arctic Obsession," 24 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ineluctable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.