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Ingratiate: meaning, example and synonyms

Ingratiatev. To bring oneself into favor with others, often through deliberate flattery.

Flashcard for Ingratiate (verb): to bring oneself into favor with others, often through deliberate flattery. Example: Hoping to ingratiate himself with the hiring committee, the applicant praised each member's research at such length that the interview ran an hour late. Synonyms: curry favor, flatter, fawn, toady. Antonyms: alienate, offend, antagonize. Memory tip: in + gratia (favor): work your way INTO someone's good graces. Illustration: a young man in a suit eagerly offering a cup of coffee with a wide smile to a seated, unimpressed older woman at a long meeting table.

Example

Hoping to ingratiate himself with the hiring committee, the applicant praised each member's research at such length that the interview ran an hour late.

Part of speech
verb
Synonyms
curry favor, flatter, fawn, toady
Antonyms
alienate, offend, antagonize
Memory tip
in + gratia (favor): work your way INTO someone's good graces.

Ingratiate is in batch 18. Study it with the rest of the batch, then pass the batch quiz to learn it. No account needed; progress is saved on this device.

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Check yourself: Ingratiate in context

Pick the word that best completes each text.

Question 1

The new courtier tried to ______ himself with the king by praising every royal decision, however careless, and by laughing loudest at the king's jokes.

Question 2

Hoping to ______ themselves with local residents, the developers sponsored the town's summer festival and repainted the school before announcing their plans for a shopping mall.

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