eventually

Etymology

From eventual +‎ -ly. The third sense is influenced by any of several European languages, including Czech eventuálně, Swedish eventuellt.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɪˈvɛn.t͡ʃuː.ə.li/, /ɪˈvɛn.t͡ʃʊ.li/, /ɪˈvɛn.tjʊ.li/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɪˈvɛn.t͡ʃu.ə.li/, /ɪˈvɛn.t͡ʃu.li/, /ɪˈvɛn.t͡ʃə.li/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Adverb

eventually (not comparable)

1. In the end; at some later time, especially after a long time, a series of problems, struggles, delays or setbacks.

   Everyone's true colors will be revealed eventually.

   She didn't arrive. Eventually, we started without her.

   He hopes eventually to attend nursing school.

   • 2004, Chris Wallace, Character: Profiles in Presidential Courage:

     It had taken nine years from the evening that Truman first showed up with a pie plate at her mother's door, but his dogged perseverance eventually won him the hand of his boyhood Sunday school crush.

2. (mathematics, of a sequence) For some tail; for all terms beyond some term; with only finitely many exceptions.

   Eventually, all prime numbers are odd.

3. (proscribed, non-native speakers' English) Possibly, potentially, perhaps

   I will come eventually, but haven't decided yet.