ingratiate

[in-grey-shee-eyt]

verb (used with object)

ingratiated, ingratiating 

1. to establish (oneself or another person) in the favor or good graces of someone, especially by deliberate effort (usually followed bywith ).

   He ingratiated himself with all the guests.

   She ingratiated her colleagues with her well-researched project proposal.

ingratiate

/ ɪnˈɡreɪʃɪˌeɪt /

verb

1. to place (oneself) purposely in the favour (of another)

Other Word Forms

• ingratiating adjective
• ingratiation noun
• ingratiatingly adverb
• ingratiatory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ingratiate¹

First recorded in 1615–25; perhaps from Latin in grātiam “into favor,” after Italian ingraziare; in, grace, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ingratiate¹

C17: from Latin, from _in- ² + grātia grace, favour

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.

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“He really has that servant leadership mentality behind the plate, which has really ingratiated himself with a lot of our pitchers.”

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Andy looks like a human adult but behaves like an awkward, stammering middle-schooler eager to ingratiate himself with his peers by telling toothless jokes straight out of a Scholastic pun manual.

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But when Oliver walks into the store, entourage in tow, Matthew makes a play to ingratiate himself with the pop star that goes better than he ever could’ve expected.

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His efforts to ingratiate himself with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin have brought the war no closer to an end.

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Related Words

• flatter