Eventually vs We come to it at last

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Eventually

Top 2,000 (common) B1 adverb

We come to it at last

Beyond 10,000 (less common)

Most common: Eventually

	Eventually	We come to it at last
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ɪˈventʃuəli/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ɪˈventʃuəli/"]/	🇬🇧 //wiː kʌm tuː ɪt æt lɑːst// 🇺🇸 //wi kʌm tu ɪt æt læst//
Meaning	In the end; after a period of time.	Finally, we reach this moment or point.
Example	Our flight eventually left five hours late.	After years of hard work, we come to it at last, the day of the big event.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR level	B1	-
Part of speech	adverb
Collocations	eventually arrive, eventually lead to, eventually happen	come to a conclusion, come to an agreement, come to our senses, come to a decision
Antonyms	immediately, instantly, now	-
Common mistakes	Using 'eventually' when the action is immediate or certain., Confusing it with 'eventual,' which refers to the final outcome rather than the process leading to it., Incorrectly placing it at the beginning of a sentence without a comma.	Using it in a context where the arrival is not significant., Overusing it in a casual conversation., Confusing it with phrases like 'we've reached the end'.
Usage notes	Commonly used to suggest that something will happen after a delay. Avoid in very formal writing or when expressing immediate actions.	This phrase is often used to signify an arrival at an important point or conclusion. It can be used in both formal and informal contexts, though it may be more common in storytelling or speeches.

See it in real clips

Peaky Blinders › S1 E1

And, like maggots, if left to swell they will eventually swarm like flies

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

Eventually, I caught her looking over at me,

House Of Cards › S1 E1

Eventually, I'll have to re-write the bill myself.

Peaky Blinders › S1 E1

And, like maggots, if left to swell they will eventually swarm like flies

Breaking Bad › S1 E4

Eventually, I caught her looking over at me,

Eventually

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

We come to it at last.

We come to it at last

Frequently asked questions: Eventually vs We come to it at last

What's the difference between Eventually and We come to it at last?

Eventually: In the end; after a period of time. We come to it at last: Finally, we reach this moment or point.

Which is more common: Eventually and We come to it at last?

Eventually is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Eventually: Our flight eventually left five hours late. We come to it at last: After years of hard work, we come to it at last, the day of the big event.

Can I use Eventually and We come to it at last interchangeably?

Not always. Eventually and We come to it at last are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.