inexorable
adjective
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The Latin antecedent of inexorable is inexorabilis, which is itself a combination of the prefix in-, meaning "not," plus exorabilis, meaning "pliant" or "capable of being moved by entreaty." It's a fitting etymology for inexorable. You can beseech and implore until you're blue in the face, but that won't have any effect on something that's inexorable. Inexorable has been a part of the English language since the 1500s. Originally, it was often applied to people or sometimes to personified things, as in "deaf and inexorable laws." These days, it is usually applied to things, as in "inexorable monotony" or "an inexorable trend." In such cases, it essentially means "unyielding" or "inflexible."
Example Sentences
Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 26 July 2022 Hard to be a bricks-and-mortar retailer riding high, for example, when an inexorable decline in foot traffic is the rule rather than the exception these days. Andy Meek, BGR, 23 Mar. 2022 Still, miseries gather around the girl like detritus carried in by an inexorable tide — arguably too many miseries in the film’s later stages, with Aoi sustaining blow after blow in a rhythm that occasionally feels manipulated for maximum pathos. Jessica Kiang, Variety, 7 July 2022 And then there is China’s inexorable rise as a technically advanced rival seeking global influence. New York Times, 27 June 2022 For Sanchez and Alica, the evening gave them a moment to share and celebrate their inexorable bond, which was reflected on their mortar boards. Ted Glanzer, Hartford Courant, 17 June 2022 This is a great novel, rich in setting, shocking in its depiction of brute, inexorable power, but unexpectedly sweet in conclusion. Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post, 7 June 2022 Gulls clamor for scraps as the inexorable tide, that serial destroyer of sandcastles, washes ever higher. Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 27 May 2022 Or that weekend warrior who doesn’t comprehend the inexorable power of the water. Thomas Farragher, BostonGlobe.com, 27 May 2022 See More Word History
Latin inexorabilis, from in- + exorabilis pliant, from exorare to prevail upon, from ex- + orare to speak — more at oration
1542, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
inexorable
adjective
inexorability
noun
Synonyms & Similar Words
- inevitability
- inexorableness
- likelihood
- inevitableness
- relentlessness
- probability
- certainty
- ineluctability
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- uncertainty
- improbability
- unlikelihood
- preventability
- unlikeliness
- dubiousness
- doubtfulness