uunngåelig

Uunngåelig is a Norwegian adjective meaning unavoidable or inescapable. It describes a situation, event, or outcome that cannot be prevented or evaded. The term is commonly used in everyday language as well as in more formal or analytical contexts to mark something that is considered certain to happen or to occur.

Etymology and spelling notes: the word is formed from a negation prefix and a base related to avoiding. It combines the negating element u- with the verb unngå (to avoid) and the adjectival suffix -elig. In Bokmål, the standard spelling is uunngåelig; some texts may also show the variant spelling uunngåelig, reflecting historical or dialectal variation. The construction is part of a broader pattern in Norwegian where -elig forms adjectives expressing possible or impossible states.

Usage and nuance: uunngåelig is used for events, consequences, or conditions that are viewed as mathematically or practically certain. It can carry a sense of inevitability or an accepted outcome, though it does not always imply moral judgment. The word is commonly found in journalism, philosophy, science, and everyday speech when describing things that cannot be avoided.

Related forms: the noun form is uunngåelighet, referring to the quality of being unavoidable or inevitability. The related verb unngå means to avoid, which is semantically opposite in some uses. Antonymous phrases can include not only unavoidably but expressions of possibility or choice.

See also: unngå, uunngåelighet, inevitability, unavoidable.

Examples:

- Det var uunngåelig at prisene steg i perioder med høy etterspørsel.

- Regningen kom, og det ble klart at den var uunngåelig.