Ingratiate is a verb meaning to gain favorable acceptance or approval by deliberate flattering or pleasing others. It involves appealing to someone’s desires or interests, often for personal advantage, and is typically used in social or professional contexts where one seeks a favorable impression. The nuance is strategic charm more than genuine friendliness.
"He tried to ingratiate himself with the compliance officer by complimenting her meticulous notes."
"She ingratiated herself with the team by volunteering for extra work and praising colleagues’ ideas."
"The candidate ingratiated himself with the boss through well-timed praise and useful, solutions-focused suggestions."
"Politicians sometimes ingratiate themselves with voters by sharing relatable anecdotes and community-focused statements."
Ingratiate comes from the Latin ingratiāre, literally “to bring into favor,” from in- “in, into” + gratia “favor, grace” (also related to grateful). The verb appeared in English in the 16th century in the sense of gaining favor or goodwill through deliberate actions. The sense broadened to describe strategic smoothing or flattering aimed at winning someone’s approval. The key development is the shift from a general “to be gracious” to “to make oneself gracious in someone’s eyes,” emphasizing performative social finesse rather than spontaneous warmth. The noun form ingratiation follows later. Historically, phrases like “to ingratiate oneself with the court” reflect its usage in political and courtly contexts, while modern usage extends to workplaces, social networks, and everyday interactions. The word carries a subtle moral valence, often implying manipulation or self-serving charm, though context can modulate this implication. First known use traces to early modern English writings, with sustained usage across literary and contemporary prose.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Ingratiate" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Ingratiate"
-ate sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as in-GRAY-shee-ate. Primary stress on the second syllable: in-GRĀ-ti-ate (rough IPA: /ˌɪŋɡrəˈʃiː.eɪt/ in US/UK). Start with /ˌɪn/ then /ɡreɪ/ or /ˈɡreɪ/ depending on dialect, then /ʃiː/ (shee) and end with /eɪt/ (ate). Ensure the vowel in the second syllable is a long a, and the middle sound is a soft “sh” before the /iː/.
Common errors: misplacing stress by saying in-GRAT-tee-ate; pronouncing it as in-GRASS-ee-ate with a short /æ/; mispronouncing the middle /ɡrəˈɡriː/ portion as /ɡriː/ without the schwa. Correction tips: keep the secondary unstressed syllables lighter, use /ɡrə/ before /ˈʃiː/ and maintain a clear /eɪt/ at the end. Practice chunking: in- GRĀ- ti- ate, then smooth the transitions into /ˌɪŋɡrəˈʃiː.eɪt/.
US: /ˌɪŋɡrəˈʃiː.eɪt/ with rhotic /r/ and a prominent /ɪ/ and /ˈʃiː/. UK: may be /ˌɪŋɡrɒˈʃiː.eɪt/ or /ˌɪŋɡrəˈʃiːeɪt/, with non-rhoticity and a broader /ɒ/ in the first syllable; sometimes the second vowel is pronounced longer. AU: tends toward /ˌɪŋɡrəˈʃiːeɪt/ with a flatter intonation, but still rhotic avoidance; vowel qualities lean toward /ə/ or /ɪ/ in the unstressed first syllable depending on speaker.
It's challenging because of the multi-syllabic structure and the sequence in- + g r a ti- + ate, with a long /eɪ/ at the end and a /ʃ/ before the final /iː/eɪt. The cluster /ɡr/ followed by /iː/ can blur for non-native speakers, and the secondary stress pattern requires precise reshaping of the breath and tongue between syllables. Mastery requires slow articulation, then gradual speed with accurate vowel sounds and the final vowel glide.
Ingratiate is not silent-letter heavy; the key is the two-consonant cluster /gr/ after the initial /ɪn/ and the /ʃ/ before the final /iːeɪt/ sequence. The problem for learners is the /ɡrəˈʃiːeɪt/ portion where /ʃ/ braids with /iː/ causing a slight palatalization, and the ending /eɪt/ requires a consonant glide into the diphthong. Focus on clearly releasing /ʃ/ before /iː/ and then /eɪt/.
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