verb · 4 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/ɪˈnjʊə(ɹ)/without the pour–poor merger
/ɪˈnjɔː(ɹ)/pour–poor merger
US:/ɪˈnjʊɹ/
US:/ɪˈnʊɹ/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ʊə(ɹ)
rhymes with (UK) -ɔː
CMU ARPABET:IH2 N Y UH1 R
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To cause someone to become accustomed to something that requires prolonged or repeated tolerance of one or more unpleasantries.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: habituate, harden, toughen
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To take effect, to be operative.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Topics: law
Examples
Jim buys a beach house that includes the right to travel across the neighbor's property to get to the water. That right of way is said "to inure to the benefit of Jim".
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: accrue
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To commit.
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
cause to accept or become hardened to; habituate
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
He was inured to the cold
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: harden, indurate
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: habituate, accustom
Narrower terms: callous, cauterize, cauterise, steel oneself against, steel onself for, brace oneself for, prepare for
History
Etymology
From Middle English inuren, equivalent to in- + ure (“practise, exercise”).
Across languages
Translations
38 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
приучвам
(priučvam)
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Czech:
navyknout
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Czech:
uvyknout
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Dutch:
verharden
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Dutch:
harden
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Dutch:
stalen
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Dutch:
gewennen
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Finnish:
siedättää
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Finnish:
totuttaa
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Finnish:
karaista
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
French:
endurcir
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
French:
aguerrir
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
French:
habituer
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
German:
abhärten
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
German:
an gewöhnen (etwas)
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Greek:
εξοικειώνω
(exoikeióno)
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Greek:
εγκλιματίζω
(egklimatízo)
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Ancient Greek:
ἐθίζω
(ethízō)
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Ancient Greek:
οἰκειόω
(oikeióō)
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Italian:
assuefare
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Italian:
abituare
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Italian:
acclimare
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Italian:
acclimatare
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Māori:
umanga
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Portuguese:
acostumar
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Portuguese:
habituar
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Portuguese:
endurecer
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Russian:
приучать
(priučatʹ)
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Spanish:
acostumbrar
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Spanish:
habituar
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Spanish:
avezar
— to cause to become accustomed to something unpleasant by prolonged exposure
Bulgarian:
влизам в сила
(vlizam v sila)
— to take effect, or to benefit someone
Czech:
nabýt účinnosti
— to take effect, or to benefit someone
Dutch:
in voege treden
— to take effect, or to benefit someone
Dutch:
iemand begunstigen
— to take effect, or to benefit someone
Finnish:
rasittaa
— to take effect, or to benefit someone
French:
prendre effet
— to take effect, or to benefit someone
Spanish:
efectuarse
— to take effect, or to benefit someone