eminently

adverb

em·​i·​nent·​ly ˈe-mə-nənt-lē How to pronounce eminently (audio)
: to a high degree : very
eminently worthy
an eminently sensible plan

Did you know?

Eminently Has a Stand Out History

When British physician Tobias Venner wrote in 1620 of houses "somewhat eminently situated," he meant that the houses were literally located in a high place. That use has since slipped into obsolescence, as has the word's use to mean "conspicuously"—a sense that reflects its Latin root, ēminēre, which means "to stick out" or “protrude.” The figurative sense of “notably” or “very” that is prominent today was likely a new development when Venner was writing.

Examples of eminently in a Sentence

an applicant who is eminently qualified for the job
Recent Examples on the Web The result was this eminently danceable Crunk-n-B track with fellow Atlanta artists Lil Jon and Ludacris. Elena Bergeron, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2024 The streaming platform's live-action One Piece and Blue-Eyed Samurai dominated online discussions, both of which are eminently watchable in their own right. Ars Staff, Ars Technica, 29 Dec. 2023 The harm their children experienced, all that loss of innocent life, is eminently preventable. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 1 Feb. 2024 Columns are too densely placed for an open-plan office, but threading kitchens and bedrooms between them is eminently doable. Curbed, 24 Jan. 2024 But unlike many challenges faced by developing countries, lead poisoning is a problem that is eminently fixable with some attention and a relatively modest financial investment. Rachel Silverman Bonnifield, Foreign Affairs, 22 Jan. 2024 Or perhaps Thompson’s eminently relatable battle between his past and the present self — this team’s past and present self — will continue in the months and years to come. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 3 Jan. 2024 Since then, Napoli has made a series of eminently avoidable errors. Rory Smith, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2024 Even with the eminently impressive McKinstry-Arnold 1-2 punch, Downs might be the most impressive of the bunch. Kevin Skiver, Detroit Free Press, 1 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'eminently.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1616, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of eminently was in 1616

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Cite this Entry

“Eminently.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eminently. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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