inherent

Meanings

1. Existing as a natural and permanent part of something.
2. Belonging to the basic nature of a thing.

Example sentences

• "Risk is inherent in every investment."

  Level C1, Meaning 1

• "The problems are inherent in the system."

  Level C1, Meaning 1

• "Every person has an inherent right to be treated fairly."

  Level C1, Meaning 2

• "Some delay is inherent in international mail."

  Level C1, Meaning 1

Synonyms and antonyms

Look-alikes and common mistakes

• inherit : Inherit means to receive something from a parent or an earlier person. Inherent means built into the nature of a thing.

Word family and forms

Word partners

Words and phrases that often go with "inherent".

• inherent in
• inherent risk
• inherent value
• inherent difficulty
• an inherent part of
• inherent weakness

Origin

Inherent comes from Latin inhaerens, the present participle of inhaerere, which meant to stick to or to cling to. An inherent quality sticks to a thing and cannot be pulled off.

Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Dictionary.com.

How to remember it

Picture a sticker that cannot be peeled off: an inherent quality sticks to a thing for good.

Test yourself

Learn next at C1

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• iniquity A very unfair or immoral act, or wickedness in general.
• injunction An official order from a court that requires someone to do or stop doi...
• innate Present in someone from birth, rather than learned.
• innocuous Not harmful or offensive, and unlikely to cause any problem.
• innovate To introduce new ideas, methods, or products.