Usage notes

Largely synonymous with unavoidable, slightly more formal (borrowed as a unit from Latin, rather than formed in English), and with nuances of a natural consequence'' that occurs ''after – “inevitable punishment”, “inevitable result”. By contrast, (term) has some nuance of existing circumstances – “I was unavoidably detained.” – without there necessarily being a cause. Further, unavoidable'' has nuances of “could not have happened any other way, even if circumstances were different”, while inevitable''' connotes “''given'' circumstances, this is the necessary result.” Compare “the disaster was '''inevitable ”, meaning “sooner or later the disaster would happen (because they ''did not prepare'')” with “the disaster was ''unavoidable''”, meaning “even if they ''had prepared , the disaster would have happened”. Often used with a negative connotation, but may be used with a positive or neutral sense of fate, as in “Given our preparations, our victory was inevitable .” in which case *unavoidable is not acceptable. In the same manner, impreventable and inevitable'' have different nuances. The sense “the disease was inevitable'''” means “It was ''natural'' to suffer the disease”; the sense “the disease was '''impreventable ” means “There was ''no preventive methods against the disease”. Thus, "inevitable''" indicates "unable to avoid due to ''natural or necessary''''' matters", "''unavoidable''" indicates "unable to avoid due to '''''incidental''''' matters", ''impreventable'' indicates "unable to avoid due to '''''the absence of preventive methods ".

Usage notes

The comparative and superlative forms more unique'' and ''most unique'', as well as the use of ''unique'' with modifiers as in ''fairly unique'' and ''very unique , are sometimes proscribed, with the reasoning that either something is unique or it is not.