English Meaning & Definitions
To bring oneself into favor with someone by flattering or trying to please them.
- “He tried to ingratiate himself with the boss by constantly offering to work overtime.”
- “The new intern attempted to ingratiate herself with the senior staff by bringing in homemade pastries.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “ingratiate”.
Derived from the Latin 'in' (into) and 'gratia' (grace, favor). It entered English in the early 17th century, originally meaning to bring someone into favor with another, though it evolved to specifically describe the act of doing so through deliberate, often sycophantic, effort.
Think of 'in-grati-ate' as 'in-grati-tude'—you are trying to get into someone's good graces by acting grateful or flattering them.
Frequently Asked Questions About “ingratiate”
1. What is the meaning of “ingratiate” in English?
In English, ingratiate (verb) is defined as: “To bring oneself into favor with someone by flattering or trying to please them.”.
2. How do you use “ingratiate” in a sentence?
“He tried to ingratiate himself with the boss by constantly offering to work overtime.”
3. What are English synonyms of “ingratiate”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “ingratiate”?
Derived from the Latin 'in' (into) and 'gratia' (grace, favor). It entered English in the early 17th century, originally meaning to bring someone into favor with another, though it evolved to specifically describe the act of doing so through deliberate, often sycophantic, effort.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.