inure

verb

in·​ure i-ˈnu̇r How to pronounce inure (audio)
-ˈnyu̇r
variants or less commonly enure
i-ˈnu̇r How to pronounce inure (audio)
-ˈnyu̇r,
e-
inured; inuring

transitive verb

: to accustom to accept something undesirable
children inured to violence

intransitive verb

: to become of advantage
policies that inure to the benefit of employees
inurement
i-ˈnu̇r-mənt How to pronounce inure (audio)
-ˈnyu̇r
noun

Examples of inure in a Sentence

Does violence on television inure children to violence in real life? the hardship of army training inured her to the rigors of desert warfare
Recent Examples on the Web Swisher’s towering career and monumental achievements warrant scrutiny rather than inure her from it. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024 The focus was then on reducing drag, and the 904 had a drag coefficient of 0.33—not bad for a racing car, even for those of us now inured to EVs with Cds in the 0.2 range. Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, 16 Oct. 2023 Even in a country long inured to extreme violence, the killings shocked many Brazilians. Marina Dias, Washington Post, 5 Oct. 2023 Neither free day care nor a night off from doing the dishes can inure her to how her child’s pain can, by shaping his identity, shape hers. Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2023 This mindset is ripe for shaping by political tribalism, which amplifies closed belief systems, inuring them from outside remediation. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 Sep. 2023 Mass shootings occur with such frequency that Americans seem inured to a brutal reality where the unstable and aggrieved can buy a gun as easily as a bag of chips. Sabrina Haake, Chicago Tribune, 2 Sep. 2023 California is inured to the firestorms and mudslides that have been especially devastating in recent years. Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2023 But even passengers inured to the T’s woeful recent performance struggle with the uncertainty of when things will improve. Taylor Dolven, BostonGlobe.com, 26 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enuren, from in ure customary, from putten in ure to use, put into practice, partial translation of Anglo-French mettre en ovre, en uevre

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of inure was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near inure

Cite this Entry

“Inure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inure. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

inure

verb
in·​ure in-ˈ(y)u̇(ə)r How to pronounce inure (audio)
inured; inuring
1
: to make less sensitive : harden
inured to cold
2

Legal Definition

inure

intransitive verb
inured; inuring
: to become of advantage
usually used in the phrase inure to the benefit of

More from Merriam-Webster on inure

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