eventual
eventual Lexical Profile
eventual Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Occurring or existing at the end of or as a result of a process, series of events, or passage of time; ultimate or final.
"Despite several early setbacks during the clinical trials, the research team remained confident in the eventual success of the treatment."
Depending on uncertain events or conditions; contingent or possible (now rare except in legal or philosophical contexts).
"The treaty included several clauses addressing eventual border disputes that might arise between the neighboring states."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Eventual' is used almost exclusively as an attributive adjective before a noun (e.g., 'the eventual winner') rather than after a linking verb. It is also a common false friend for speakers of European languages (such as French 'éventuel' or Spanish 'eventual'), where the cognate means 'possible' or 'contingent' rather than 'happening at the end of a process'.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 17th century from French 'éventuel', derived from Latin 'eventus' ('occurrence, outcome, or issue'), from the verb 'evenire' ('to come out, happen, or result').