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Don't Get Stuck on the Meaning of Inherent
Inherent literally refers to something that is "stuck in" something else so firmly that they can't be separated. A plan may have an inherent flaw that will cause it to fail; a person may have inherent virtues that everyone admires. Since the flaw and the virtues can't be removed, the plan may simply have to be thrown out and the person will remain virtuous forever.
Synonyms
Examples of inherent in a Sentence
It is one more proof that our world has lost the kind of exquisite sensibility displayed by John Milton when he came up with his definition of poetry. He first wrote "simple, sensual, and passionate," but he was bothered by the grossness inherent in "sensual," and so he invented the word "sensuous."
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Florence King, National Review, 24 Sept. 2007
There were those who trusted the innate goodness of humanity, and those who believed in its inherent crookedness.
—Terry Eagleton, Harper's, March 2005
The problem … is inherent and perennial in any democracy, but it has been more severe in ours during the past quarter-century because of the near universal denigration of government, politics and politicians.
—Michael Kinsley, Time, 29 Oct. 2001
He has an inherent sense of fair play.
an inherent concept of justice
Florence King, National Review, 24 Sept. 2007
There were those who trusted the innate goodness of humanity, and those who believed in its inherent crookedness.
—Terry Eagleton, Harper's, March 2005
The problem … is inherent and perennial in any democracy, but it has been more severe in ours during the past quarter-century because of the near universal denigration of government, politics and politicians.
—Michael Kinsley, Time, 29 Oct. 2001
He has an inherent sense of fair play.
an inherent concept of justice
Recent Examples on the Web
Movement of these tokens — which hold no inherent value — prevents ledgering mix-ups like those seen in Synapse, says CEO Hugo Finkelstein.
—Lucinda Shen, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024
Yet the inherent looseness of those moments — the playful energy of two giant artists in their prime, tinkering together in the same room — makes Collision Course worth returning to in the years since its release.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 20 Nov. 2024
By categorizing problems based on their inherent computational difficulty, this theory helps identify scenarios where AI can deliver optimal solutions.
—Suvarna Krishnan, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
The international concert of nation-states—a tenuous and shifting equilibrium achieved in the last few centuries—has held in part because of the inherent equality of the players.
—Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inherent 
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Lucinda Shen, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024
Yet the inherent looseness of those moments — the playful energy of two giant artists in their prime, tinkering together in the same room — makes Collision Course worth returning to in the years since its release.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 20 Nov. 2024
By categorizing problems based on their inherent computational difficulty, this theory helps identify scenarios where AI can deliver optimal solutions.
—Suvarna Krishnan, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
The international concert of nation-states—a tenuous and shifting equilibrium achieved in the last few centuries—has held in part because of the inherent equality of the players.
—Henry A. Kissinger, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inherent
Dictionary Entries Near inherent
Cite this Entry
“Inherent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inherent. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inherent
adjective
in·her·ent
in-ˈhir-ənt 
-ˈher-
: belonging to or being a part of the nature of a person or thing
an inherent sense of fair play
fluidity is an inherent quality of gas
inherently
adverb
Medical Definition
inherent
adjective
in·her·ent
in-ˈhir-ənt
in-ˈher-
in-ˈher-
: involved in the constitution or essential character of something : belonging by nature
the skin's inherent elasticity—Kathleen C. Engles
Kathleen C. Engles
inherently
adverb
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