Basic Details
Word: Ingratiate
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: To try to gain someone’s favour or approval by doing nice things for them.
Synonyms: Brown-nose, flatter, curry favour
Antonyms: Alienate, offend, displease
Idioms and Phrases
- Ingratiate oneself: To become popular or liked by doing things to please others. Example: "He tried to ingratiate himself with the teachers by always volunteering to help."
- Suck up to: To try to gain favour with someone by being overly nice or flattering. Example: "She is always sucking up to the manager to get a promotion."
Usage Examples
Example 1: She decided to ingratiate herself with her classmates by helping them with their homework.
Example 2: It’s not a good idea to ingratiate yourself just to get what you want; be genuine instead.
Example 3: By baking cookies for everyone, he thought he could ingratiate himself with the new neighbours.
Fun Fact
The word “ingratiate†comes from the Latin “ingratiari,†which means “to make oneself agreeable.†It’s often used in a context of someone trying too hard to gain someone’s affection or approval.
Famous Quote
"The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It's got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet." Colin Powell
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. What does "ingratiate" mean?
a) To argue with someone
b) To try to gain favour by pleasing someone
c) To express disagreement
d) To avoid someone
Answer: b) To try to gain favour by pleasing someone
2. Which of these is a synonym of "ingratiate"?
a) Alienate
b) Flatter
c) Displease
d) Ignore
Answer: b) Flatter
3. What is the opposite of "ingratiate"?
a) Alienate
b) Win over
c) Impress
d) Honour
Answer: a) Alienate
4. Which sentence uses "ingratiate" correctly?
a) He ingratiates the dog by feeding it treats.
b) She tried to ingratiate herself with her peers by being rude.
c) They decided to ingratiate themselves with their boss by working hard.
d) I will ingratiate to the top of the mountain.
Answer: c) They decided to ingratiate themselves with their boss by working hard.
5. What does the idiom "suck up to" mean?
a) To dislike someone
b) To be very nice to someone in order to gain favours
c) To argue with someone
d) To ignore someone
Answer: b) To be very nice to someone in order to gain favours
