verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ɪnˈkɜː/
General-American:/ɪnˈkɝ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)
CMU ARPABET:IH2 N K ER1
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To bring upon oneself or expose oneself to, especially something inconvenient, harmful, or onerous; to become liable or subject to.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
Near-synonym: contract (debts, etc.)
Cruelty incurs calamity.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: contract
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To bring upon oneself or expose oneself to, especially something inconvenient, harmful, or onerous; to become liable or subject to.
To render (somebody, or oneself) liable or subject to.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Topics: accounting, business, finance, law
Examples
Near-synonyms: entail, invoke
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: contract, occasion, entail, invoke
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To enter or pass into.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To fall within a period or scope; to occur; to run into danger.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
receive a specified treatment (abstract)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
These aspects of civilization do not find expression or receive an interpretation
His movie received a good review
I got nothing but trouble for my good intentions
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: receive, get, find, obtain
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change
Narrower terms: take
6
verb
Meaning 6
make oneself subject to; bring upon oneself; become liable to
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
People who smoke incur a great danger to their health
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: subject
Narrower terms: run
History
Etymology
From Middle English incurren, from Anglo-Norman encurir, Middle French encourir, from Old French encorre, from Latin incurrere.
Across languages
Translations
49 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
كَبَّدَ
(kabbada)
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Bulgarian:
навличам си
(navličam si)
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Catalan:
incórrer
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Danish:
udsætte sig for
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Danish:
pådrage sig
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Dutch:
zich blootstellen aan
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Finnish:
aiheuttaa
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Finnish:
saattaa itsensä alttiiksi
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
French:
s'exposer à
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
French:
encourir
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
French:
s'attirer
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
French:
subir
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
German:
zufügen
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
German:
sich aussetzen (etwas)
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
German:
sich zuziehen (etwas)
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
German:
sich einhandeln (etwas)
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
German:
(etwas) auf sich nehmen
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
German:
(Missfallen) erregen
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Italian:
incorrere
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Italian:
esporsi
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Lithuanian:
pakliūti
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Norwegian:
pådra seg
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Occitan:
encòrrer
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Occitan:
encorrir
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Russian:
подвергну́ть
(podvergnútʹ)
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Russian:
подверга́ть
(podvergátʹ)
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Spanish:
incurrir en
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Spanish:
incidir en
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Swedish:
utsätta sig för
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Swedish:
ådra sig
— to expose oneself to something inconvenient
Arabic:
كَبَّدَ
(kabbada)
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
Bulgarian:
подлагам на
(podlagam na)
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
Finnish:
aiheuttaa
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
Finnish:
seurata
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
Finnish:
olla seurauksena
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
French:
impliquer
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
French:
occasioner
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
German:
zurechnen
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
German:
haftbar machen
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
German:
in Haftung nehmen
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
German:
heranziehen
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
German:
anrechnen
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
German:
implizieren
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
German:
(Schulden) machen
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
Italian:
implicare
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
Russian:
подвергну́ть
(podvergnútʹ)
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
Russian:
подверга́ть
(podvergátʹ)
— to render liable or subject to; to occasion
German:
(Risiko) eingehen
— obsolete: to enter into
German:
ein Risiko eingehen
— obsolete: to fall within a period or scope; to occur; to run into danger
