ingratiate
Americanverb (used with object)
verb
Other Word Forms
- ingratiating adjective
- ingratiatingly adverb
- ingratiation noun
- ingratiatory adjective
Etymology
Origin of ingratiate
First recorded in 1615–25; perhaps from Latin in grātiam “into favor,” after Italian ingraziare; in, grace, -ate 1
Explanation
To ingratiate is to make obvious efforts to gain someone's favor, in other words — to kiss up to someone. Ingratiate has not strayed much from its Latin roots, in gratiam, (in plus gratia meaning "favor") which means "in favor" or "for the favor of." To ingratiate is to gain the favor of someone by doing lots of favors to the point of being a nudge. Like the teacher's pet who answers every question, stays after class to clean the chalkboard, and brings the teacher an apple every day. When you ingratiate yourself to people, you risk annoying them — like a little dog nipping at their heels.
Vocabulary lists containing ingratiate
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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.
Separately, Mr Hampshire also reflected on his worries about people trying to ingratiate themselves with Andrew "in order to make excessive money out the Duke or their association with him".
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2025
But while individuals may flatter him and ingratiate themselves, the market doesn’t.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2025
During their first meeting as part of a new company-wide mentorship program, Samuel matches Romy’s slippery intensity, and his reluctance to ingratiate himself intrigues her.
From Salon • Dec. 30, 2024
They were just dudes from Aberdeen and they had to ingratiate themselves into the Seattle scene.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 15, 2024
For he knew that he had failed, from the very beginning, to ingratiate himself with Edmund.
From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
