Definition of ineluctable
: not to be avoided, changed, or resisted : inevitable an ineluctable fate
Indulge Your Inner Word Nerd
ineluctable was our Word of the Day on 11/08/2010. Hear the podcast!
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Examples of ineluctable in a Sentence
the ineluctable approach of winter had many worried about the cost of heating their homes
Recent Examples of ineluctable from the Web
-
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.
-
In both, the Far North exhibits an attraction that turns ineluctable, then fatal.
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.
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.
Origin and Etymology of ineluctable
Latin ineluctabilis, from in- + eluctari to struggle clear of, from ex- + luctari to struggle, wrestle; akin to Latin luxus dislocated — more at lock
INELUCTABLE Defined for English Language Learners
ineluctable
playDefinition of ineluctable for English Language Learners
-
: not able to be avoided or changed
Learn More about ineluctable
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up ineluctable? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!