inherently

I1N1H4E1R1E1N1T1L1Y4
US/ɪnˈhɛɹəntli/

adverb

In an inherent way; naturally, innately.

Similar
essentiallyin and of itselfinnatelyintrinsicallynaturallyper se
OriginProto-Germanic *līką ← Proto-Indo-European *leyg- ← English inherent →
Less commonScrabble 16
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Meanings

adverbinherently (comparative more inherently, superlative most inherently)

comparative more inherently · superlative most inherently · alternative obsolete inhærently

  1. In an inherent way; naturally, innately.

    Rights are inherently in all the inhabitants; but charters, by annulling those rights, in the majority, leave the right, by exclusion, in the hands of a few.

    1791, Thomas Paine, The Rights Of Man
    1 more example

    Democrats are quick to say that President Donald Trump’s tariffs are horrible, awful, terrible. But Democrats are also stressing that they are not inherently anti-tariff.

    2025 April 12, Josh Boak and Matt Brown, “Democrats dislike the ‘chaos’ of Trump’s trade war but are OK with some tariffs”, in AP News, archived from the original on 21 Apr 2025

    Synonyms: essentially, in and of itself, innately, intrinsically, naturally, per se

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbIn an inherent way; naturally, innately.

Similar
essentiallyin and of itselfinnatelyintrinsicallynaturallyper se
Also see
essentiallyin itselfintrinsicallyper se

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
  2. Proto-Italic*en
  3. Proto-Italic*en-
  4. Latinin-
  5. Latinhaereō
  6. Latininhaereō
  7. Latininhaerentem
  8. Englishinherent
  9. Proto-Indo-European*leyg-
  10. Proto-Germanic*līką
  11. Englishinherently

From inherent + -ly.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan inherentment
  • inherentmentinherently, innately
Chinese Mandarin 本质
  • 本质 (běnzhí)inherently, innately
French intrinsèquement, inhéremment
  • intrinsèquementinherently, innately
  • inhéremmentinherently, innately
  • naturellementinherently, innately
German von Natur aus
  • von Natur ausinherently, innately
Greek εγγενώς
  • εγγενώς (engenós)inherently, innately
Italian intrinsecamente
  • intrinsecamenteinherently, innately
Polish nieodłącznie, z założenia
  • nieodłącznieinherently, innately
  • z założeniainherently, innately
  • niewykluczalnieinherently, innately
Portuguese inerentemente
  • inerentementeinherently, innately
Romanian inerent, inalienabil
  • inerentinherently, innately
  • inalienabilinherently, innately
Spanish inherentemente
  • inherentementeinherently, innately
Swedish inherent
  • inherentinherently, innately
Ukrainian по су́ті
  • по су́ті (po súti)inherently, innately
Cite this entry
APA

inherently. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inherently

MLA

“inherently.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inherently. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inherently,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inherently.

Source: inherently on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.