ingratiating

[in-grey-shee-ey-ting]

adjective

1. charming; agreeable; pleasing.

2. deliberately meant to gain favor.

   an ingratiating manner.

Other Word Forms

• ingratiatingly adverb
• uningratiating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ingratiating¹

First recorded in 1635–45; ingratiat(e) + -ing ²

Example Sentences

The theory, perhaps, is that ingratiating themselves to the locals during this week's tune-ups might soften the vitriol which comes their way over the weekend.

Read more on BBC

Both show off Glaser’s gift for grabbing a subject, attacking it from every side, playing smart and dumb, ingratiating and insulting, going sweet or sour.

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Benjamine Webb, 30, spent years ingratiating himself with families in order to access children.

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His smile is both practiced and ingratiating; his eyes seem darker than this film’s eerily black ocean, like velvet curtains tightly drawn.

Read more on Seattle Times

This initial rift set in motion several entry points for Peck to not only continue ingratiating himself into Drake’s life but also enable him to drive a wedge between Drake and his father.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• charming 
• disarming 
• smarmy