Impossible to prevent or to get around; it is going to happen and nothing you do will stop it. It sits with things people would rather not have — delays, costs, accidents, conflict, death — so it usually comes with a small sigh.

Impossible to prevent or to get around無法阻止，也躲不掉; it is going to happen and nothing you do will stop it事情一定會發生，你怎麼做都攔不住。 It sits with things people would rather not have它常常搭配人們不希望發生的事 — delays, costs, accidents, conflict, death像延誤、花費、意外、衝突、死亡 — so it usually comes with a small sigh所以講出來時常常帶點嘆氣的感覺。

Two uses are worth separating. First, the plain one: 'the delay was unavoidable', meaning nobody could have prevented it. Second, and very common at work, it is used as a polite defence: when a manager says 'these job cuts are unavoidable', they are saying 'do not blame me, there was no other road'.

Two uses are worth separating有兩種用法值得分開來看。 First, the plain one第一種是單純的用法: 'the delay was unavoidable'像 'the delay was unavoidable'（這次延誤是無法避免的）, meaning nobody could have prevented it意思是沒有人能阻止它發生。 Second, and very common at work第二種在職場上很常見, it is used as a polite defence當作一種委婉的辯解: when a manager says 'these job cuts are unavoidable'當主管說 'these job cuts are unavoidable'（這次裁員是無法避免的）, they are saying 'do not blame me, there was no other road'他們其實是在說「別怪我，沒有別的路可走」。

Listeners often disagree, which is why you also hear 'nothing is unavoidable'. There is a set phrase worth learning whole: 'unavoidable circumstances' — the standard formal reason given for a cancellation.

Listeners often disagree聽的人常常不同意, which is why you also hear 'nothing is unavoidable'所以你也會聽到 'nothing is unavoidable'（沒有什麼是無法避免的）。 There is a set phrase worth learning whole有一個片語值得整個背下來: 'unavoidable circumstances'就是 'unavoidable circumstances'（不可抗力的情況） — the standard formal reason given for a cancellation這是取消活動時最標準的正式理由。

Compare 'inevitable', which is close but points forward at what is certain to come, often with a feeling of fate; 'unavoidable' points at a thing already in your path that you cannot step around.

Compare 'inevitable'比較一下 'inevitable'（必然的）, which is close but points forward at what is certain to come它意思相近，但指向未來一定會發生的事, often with a feeling of fate常常帶著命運的感覺; 'unavoidable' points at a thing already in your path that you cannot step around'unavoidable' 則是指已經擋在你路上、繞不過去的東西。