Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To bring (oneself, for example) into the favor or good graces of another, especially by deliberate effort.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To establish in the confidence, favor, or good graces of another; make agreeable or acceptable: used reflexively, and followed by with.
  • To introduce by exciting gratitude or good will; insinuate or recommend by acceptable conduct or sentiments: absolute or with into.
  • To recommend.
  • To bring into a state of grace.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To introduce or commend to the favor of another; to bring into favor; to insinuate; -- used reflexively, and followed by with before the person whose favor is sought.
  • transitive verb obsolete To recommend; to render easy or agreeable; -- followed by to.
  • intransitive verb rare To gain favor.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb reflexive to bring oneself into favour with someone by flattering or trying to please them.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • verb gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Perhaps from Italian ingraziare, from in grazia, into favor, from Latin in grātiam : in, in; see in– + grātiam, accusative of grātia, favor (from grātus, pleasing; see gwerə- in Indo-European roots).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

First attested in 1622. From Italian ingraziare, which from ingratiare, which from in gratia, which from Latin in grātiam (into favour), which from grātus.

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Examples

Comments

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  • victory went to those doctors best able to ingratiate themselves with key players in the leadership

    September 14, 2010

  • gain favor with somebody by deliberate efforts

    Even though Tom didn't like his new boss, he decided to ingratiate himself to her in order to advance his career.

    October 19, 2016