inhere
Americanverb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
inheresimple
-
inheressimple
-
have inheredperfect
-
has inheredperfect
-
am inheringprogressive
-
are inheringprogressive
-
is inheringprogressive
-
have been inheringperfect progressive
-
has been inheringperfect progressive
Past
-
inheredsimple
-
had inheredperfect
-
was inheringprogressive
-
were inheringprogressive
-
had been inheringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of inhere
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin inhaerēre, equivalent to in- in- 2 + haerēre “to stick”
Explanation
To inhere is to be a permanent or essential part of something. A duty to do what's best for the American people inheres in the position of President of the United States. Since the 16th century, inhere has been used for qualities that are intrinsic to something or someone. These day's it's an extremely formal way to talk about inherent characteristics: "To him, extreme competitiveness inheres in human nature, but I disagree." In legal writing, inhere is used for rights that are connected to owning property.
Vocabulary lists containing inhere
Plessy v. Ferguson (Dissent by Justice John Marshall Harlan)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
here, hes (stick; adhere)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
These contradictions inhere in every medium, of course.
From The New Yorker • Dec. 17, 2019
The genius doesn't inhere in Lee's screenplay but in the total package.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2018
“Tragedy and good and evil often inhere in the same situation,” he said in response to the outcry in January.
From Time • Sep. 23, 2015
The question of extremism does not inhere in any particular religion or any one part of the world.
From The Guardian • Sep. 6, 2015
We perceive, then, C. That for all mental operations which have as object pure laws and ideal forms, and that Being in whom all these inhere, this dictum is not true.
From Know the Truth; A critique of the Hamiltonian Theory of Limitation by Jones, Jesse H.
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.
