"Inevitable", used for negative cases?

[Mehrgan]

Hi all,

Is 'inevitable' used for negative cases? Is there any other word, meaning 'certain to happen', more appropriately used for positive concepts?

For example: "Such technological achievements in medicine are inevitable."

 

[MikeNewYork]

"Inevitable" can be use for negative or positive.

 

[Barb_D]

But I do agree it can have a more negative than positive feeling. You can say something is "certain" if you wish to avoid that feeling. ("Certain" can be negative too.)

 

[Tdol]

For example: "Such technological achievements in medicine are inevitable."

The usage sounds OK to me. How about breakthroughs instead of achievements?

 

[Mehrgan]

The usage sounds OK to me. How about breakthroughs instead of achievements?

'Breakthroughs' sounds great, and I'll use it if it makes a better collocation. Thanks.

 

[tedmc]

'Inevitable' which means 'cannot be avoided' does not sound positive.
You could replace that with 'forthcoming'.

 

[MikeNewYork]

That is only one definition of "inevitable". Others do not contain the sense of "avoidance".

 

[Matthew Wai]

You could replace that with 'forthcoming'.

I think a forthcoming event could still be stopped, i.e. it is not necessarily inevitable, but I am not a teacher.

 

[tedmc]

Whether or not technological achievements can be stopped is not the issue.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Then what is the issue?

 

[Matthew Wai]

The issue is that they cannot be described as inevitable if they can be stopped.

Not a teacher.

 

[tedmc]

Then what is the issue?

You have to know the context to know the issue. OK, I should have said that it may not be the issue. Why would whether or not something beneficial could be stopped be an issue?

 

[Matthew Wai]

Why would whether or not something beneficial could be stopped be an issue?

Because something that could be stopped is not inevitable.

Not a teacher.

 

[tedmc]

Offhand, I do not think it is a good choice of word to start with. As I said, without the context, we can only guess.

 

[MikeNewYork]

The original question was whether or not "inevitable" had a negative meaning.

From what I have heard, John's appointment to West Point is inevitable.
After spending a weekend with Bill and Mary, I think their marriage is inevitable.
Having read John's performance reviews, I think his promotion to COO is inevitable.

 

[Barb_D]

And I do feel it has a "less happy about the fact that it will happen" than "certain" does.

Clearly Mike does not. What do others feel?

 

[Matthew Wai]

I feel that the user of 'inevitable' might not want it to happen, but I am not a teacher.

 

[MikeNewYork]

It is not the word "inevitable" that is negative; it is the context that sometimes accompanies it.

 

[Tdol]

And I do feel it has a "less happy about the fact that it will happen" than "certain" does.

Clearly Mike does not. What do others feel?

It is very often used that way, but I do not think that it is wrong to use it with the certain meaning.

 

[Skrej]

I agree that it has a sense of dread to it, no matter what the context. I would never use 'inevitable' when I was in favor of something.

Even something like 'it's inevitable that I will win', I'm actually mocking the fact others won't be pleased.