ingratiate

American  

[in-grey-shee-eyt] / ɪnˈgreɪ ʃiˌeɪt /

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 British  

/ ɪnˈɡreɪʃɪˌeɪt /

verb

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

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of ingratiate

First recorded in 1615–25; perhaps from Latin in grātiam “into favor,” after Italian ingraziare; see 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.

Example Sentences

Ingratiate yourself in her eyes, and you've got, not only an asbestos mine, but a wife of such smartness and enterprise as rarely falls to the lot of a rising young man.'

From What Necessity Knows by Dougall, Lily

Ingratiate yourself with Miss Savine, or get that crack-brained aunt of hers to cure your neuralgia.

From Thurston of Orchard Valley by Dunton, W. Herbert

Related Words

• flatter