Standard Lemma guide

inure

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