inherent adjective his belief in the inherent goodness of man
INTRINSIC , innate, immanent, built-in, inborn, ingrained, deep-rooted; essential, fundamental, basic, implicit, structural, characteristic, organic; inseparable, permanent, indelible, ineradicable, ineffaceable, inexpungible; natural, instinctive, instinctual, congenital, native; rare connate, connatural. -opposite(s): ACQUIRED ; ALIEN.
AWKWARD SYNONYMS
inherent; intrinsic; essential; innate
These words are all applied to qualities or features that are a central element in something's nature.
Inherent is typically associated with words with negative connotations: any form of mountaineering has its inherent dangers | we try to manage the risks inherent in our business. It tends to be used as a warning, indicating that something regarded as desirable has undesirable features or consequences inevitably associated with it.
Intrinsic is a more general term for an element regarded as central to something's nature. A feature or quality described as intrinsic is typically either neutral or good: the intrinsic value of our literature is increasingly recognized. Intrinsic is often used to emphasize that something possesses a quality in its own right, not through external or incidental factors: the analysis is worthwhile because of its intrinsic interest.
An essential feature of someone or something is one that is so important to their nature that without it they would not be the same person or thing: ensuring that others have their turn is an essential feature of citizenship. Something may therefore be defined or summarized by reference to an essential element: his essential point is that those who hold information hold power. Essential may be used to suggest that a characteristic is in fact fundamental to someone, even if more superficial characteristics conceal or contradict it: a belief in the essential goodness of human nature.
An innate characteristic is literally one with which someone is born, contrasted with one that is acquired at some later stage in life: everything speaks of innate good taste | students with innate ability.
