Synonyms

inherit

American

[in-her-it] / ɪnˈhɛr ɪt /

verb (used with object)

to take or receive (property, a right, a title, etc.) by succession or will, as an heir.

to inherit the family business.
to receive as if by succession from predecessors.

the problems the new government inherited from the previous administration.
to receive (a genetic character or trait) by the transmission of hereditary factors.
to succeed (a person) as heir.
to receive as one's portion; come into possession of.

to inherit his brother's old clothes.

verb (used without object)

to take or receive property or the like by virtue of being heir to it.
to receive qualities, powers, duties, etc., as by inheritance (followed byfrom ).
to have succession as heir.

inherit British

/ ɪnˈhɛrɪt /

verb

to receive (property, a right, title, etc) by succession or under a will
(intr) to succeed as heir
(tr) to possess (a characteristic) through genetic transmission
(tr) to receive (a position, attitude, property, etc) from a predecessor

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of inherit

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English en(h)erit(i)en, from Middle French enheriter, from Late Latin inhērēditāre “to make heir”; see in- ³, hereditary

Explanation

When your grandmother dies, you might inherit her tea set. Regardless of her death, you might inherit her sense of humor or rather large nose. To inherit is to receive from a predecessor. When you are talking about property, inherit is always used to describe something you get after someone else has died. However, there doesn't have to be a death involved to use the word inherit. When you start a new job, you might inherit less than pleasant tasks from the person who had the job before you. You might also quickly inherit their desire to find a new place to work.

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Vocabulary lists containing inherit

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He still had to be there to inherit it.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

The generations that inherit large tranches of stock in a trust as an income beneficiary, for example, can live off the income generated without fearing drawbacks in the market.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026

In mammals, offspring inherit one allele from each parent.

From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2026

But withdrawals can be taxed at the lower, long-term capital-gains rate, and your heirs can inherit the money without owing any tax on its appreciation during your lifetime.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026

My wife married a man; I saw no reason why she should inherit a baby.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023