eventually

eventually — adverb

1. after some time, especially when things have moved slowly or been hard to do

1.adverbB2
Definition

after some time, especially when things have moved slowly or been hard to do

Example

After months of searching, Aiko eventually found an apartment near her office in Taichung.

eventually + past simple after a time phrase

The town council eventually raised enough money to repair the old wooden bridge.

eventually + past simple for result after effort

Common collocations
  • eventually + past simple (eventually found, eventually decided, eventually realized)
  • eventually + will + infinitive (will eventually arrive, will eventually happen)
  • eventually + manage/end up/come to
  • eventually + present perfect (has eventually become)
Synonyms
  • finally

    highlights the last step in a sequence or relief after waiting; more emotional than 'eventually'

  • ultimately

    focuses on the final result or most fundamental outcome rather than the passing of time

  • in the end

    more informal and conversational; common in everyday spoken English

Antonyms
  • never

    means something did not happen at any point

  • immediately

    means without any delay, the opposite of waiting

Grammar Patterns

eventually + past simple

eventually + will + base verb

eventually + present perfect

Usage Note

Position is flexible: 'eventually' can appear at the start of a sentence (followed by a comma), before the main verb, or at the end. It is most common with past-tense verbs describing actions completed after a delay or repeated attempts.

Common Mistakes

The project ultimately took six months to complete.' (when the focus is on time passing).
The project eventually took six months to complete.
'Ultimately' points to the most important final result; 'eventually' points to the time needed to finish.
He finally, after years of practice, became a good pianist.' (when the speaker wants to stress the long wait).
He eventually, after years of practice, became a good pianist.
'Finally' suggests the last item in a list of steps; 'eventually' better conveys that it took a long time to happen.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

'Eventually', 'finally', 'ultimately', and 'in the end' all describe outcomes, but they differ in emphasis. 'Eventually' stresses the passing of time or difficulty before something happens — the focus is on the wait ('The parcel eventually arrived after three months'). 'Finally' often marks the last step in a sequence, carrying a sense of relief or irritation ('First we packed, then we drove to the airport, and finally we boarded'). 'Ultimately' points to the most fundamental or decisive result ('The project was ultimately a failure despite early success'). 'In the end' is the most conversational option, used in everyday speech to wrap up a story ('In the end, we decided to stay home'). 'Sooner or later' adds inevitability: it is not about how long it took but about certainty ('The truth will come out sooner or later'). Choose 'eventually' when the main point is that something happened after a noticeable delay, not when you are listing steps or declaring a final judgment.

finallyultimately ↗in the endsooner or later ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • eventually + past simple (eventually found / eventually realized / eventually decided)
  • eventually + will (will eventually arrive / will eventually understand)
  • eventually + present perfect (has eventually become / have eventually accepted)

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'eventualis' (concerning outcomes or results), based on 'eventus' (result, outcome), from 'evenire' (to come out, happen). The word entered English through French 'éventuel' in the 17th century, initially meaning 'possibly' or 'depending on circumstances.' By the 19th century it had shifted to its modern meaning of 'in the end, after a period of time.'