inherit

[in-her-it] / ɪnˈhɛr ɪt /

VERB

gain as possession from someone's death

Synonyms

STRONGEST

acquire derive obtain receive succeed take over

STRONG

accede get

WEAK

be bequeathed be granted be left come in for come into fall heir

Antonyms

STRONGEST

fail forfeit lose

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He still had to be there to inherit it.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

The winner will inherit a stable economy, with GDP growth of over three percent and low inflation.

From Barron's • Jun. 7, 2026

The generations that inherit large tranches of stock in a trust as an income beneficiary, for example, can live off the income generated without fearing drawbacks in the market.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026

In mammals, offspring inherit one allele from each parent.

From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2026

Since Mom was the older of the two children, Grandma Smith had asked her which house she wanted to inherit.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

Vocabulary lists containing inherit

Word Generation Science - Life Science

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Genetics - Inheritance and Variation of Traits

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Brown Girl Dreaming

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