JLPT N2Written, formalReluctant

やむを得えない・やむを得えずunavoidable; having no choice

やむを得えない is "unavoidable": there is no other way, so it can't be helped. やむを得えず goes in front of what you did about it: "having no choice", and against your wishes.

before a noun

やむを得えない事じ情じょうにより、発はつ売ばいを延えん期きいたします。

Owing to unavoidable circumstances, we are postponing the release.

as a judgment

この雨あめでは、試し合あいの中ちゅう止しもやむを得えない。

In rain like this, calling off the match can't be helped.

before what was done

終しゅう電でんがもう出でてしまったので、やむを得えずタクシーで帰かえった。

The last train had already left, so I had no choice but to take a taxi home.

Unavoidable

やむを得えない + noun　／　〜は・も + やむを得えない

やむを得えない事じ情じょう, 中ちゅう止しもやむを得えない. Polite やむを得えません, past やむを得えなかった.

Having no choice

やむを得えず + what was done

A word of its own. It goes in front of an ordinary verb: やむを得えず中ちゅう止しした.

Before a noun: Often 事じ情じょう (circumstances), 理り由ゆう (a reason) or 場ば合あい (a case). On a notice, やむを得えない事じ情じょうにより usually leaves the real reason unsaid.
Said about: Your own side's decision, as an explanation or an apology. Or someone else's, to grant that they had no other way.
Where you'll meet it: Notices, business email, reports, news, and polite talk at work. Among friends it is usually しかたがない or しょうがない, and しかたなく for やむを得えず.

In use

やむを得えない場ば合あいを除のぞき、予よ約やくの取とり消けしはできません。

Except in unavoidable cases, reservations cannot be canceled.

申もうし訳わけございませんが、体たい調ちょう不ふ良りょうのため、やむを得えず欠けっ席せきさせていただきます。

I am very sorry, but I am unwell and have no choice but to be absent.

A line from an email of apology.

そういう事じ情じょうなら、やむを得えませんね。

If that is how things stand, it can't be helped.

Said aloud at work. To a friend: それならしかたないね.

Close neighbours

ざるを得えないN2

"Have no choice but to", built onto a verb: 中ちゅう止しせざるを得えなかった says what やむを得えず中ちゅう止しした says.

家か族ぞくの事じ情じょうで、長なが年ねん勤つとめた会かい社しゃを辞やめざるを得えなかった。

For family reasons, I had no choice but to leave the company I had worked at for many years.

しかたがない・しょうがないN3

What people say: "it can't be helped". しょうがない is the more casual of the two.

電でん車しゃが止とまっているんだから、しょうがないよ。

The trains have stopped, so it can't be helped.

を余よ儀ぎなくされるN1

"Be forced to", after a noun: 中ちゅう止しを余よ儀ぎなくされた. A word of news and company statements.

台たい風ふうの接せっ近きんに伴ともない、主しゅ催さい者しゃは大たい会かいの延えん期きを余よ儀ぎなくされました。

With the typhoon approaching, the organizers have been forced to postpone the tournament.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

この状じょう況きょうでは、延えん期きも（　　）だろう。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

大おお雨あめで、（　　）試し合あいを中ちゅう止しした。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

Word for word it is "can't manage to stop": やむ is "to stop", here to leave the thing undone, and 得えない is the "can't manage" of ざるを得えない.

やむなく means the same as やむを得えず. Stiff notices also have やむを得えぬ, with the old ない.

やむを得えぬ事じ情じょうにより、本ほん日じつは休きゅう業ぎょういたします。

Owing to unavoidable circumstances, we are closed today.

More sentences

予よ算さんが削さく減げんされたため、やむを得えず計けい画かくを縮しゅく小しょうした。

With the budget cut, we had no choice but to scale back the plan.

材ざい料りょう費ひが上あがったため、やむを得えず値ね上あげいたしました。

The cost of ingredients has gone up, and we have had no choice but to raise our prices.

多た少しょうの遅おくれはやむを得えないと考かんがえております。

We consider some delay unavoidable.