All 3 Uses of
inherent
in
Ulysses by James Joyce
- It's perfectly obvious that with the most inherent baseness he has cribbed some of my bestselling copy, really gorgeous stuff, a perfect gem, the love passages in which are beneath suspicion.†
Chpt 15 *
- Mr Bloom actuated by motives of inherent delicacy inasmuch as he always believed in minding his own business moved off but nevertheless remained on the qui vive with just a shade of anxiety though not funkyish in the least.†
Chpt 16
- Yet still though his eyes were thick with sleep and sea air life was full of a host of things and coincidences of a terrible nature and it was quite within the bounds of possibility that it was not an entire fabrication though at first blush there was not much inherent probability in all the spoof he got off his chest being strictly accurate gospel.†
Chpt 16
Definition:
-
(inherent) existing as an inseparable part or characteristiceditor's notes: Synonym Comparison (if you're into word choice):
Less-common, but more specific synonyms include "innate" and "intrinsic."
You might choose "innate" when referring to a living entity's inherent characteristic since birth (e.g., an innate intelligence) or to a characteristic that is not obvious at first glance (e.g., "Government has an innate tendency to grow.")
You might choose "intrinsic" when referring to an inherent characteristic upon which other characteristics depend (e.g., "Steel beams were intrinsic to the design.")