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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
National Socialism, with its unscrupulous methods of deception, took care not to show how radical its aims were until the world was inured to them. Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 25 Nov. 2024 The fact that North Korea has had nuclear weapons for so long (its first nuclear test was in 2006) has inured analysts and policymakers to the gravity of the threat. Sue Mi Terry, Foreign Affairs, 25 Oct. 2022 To live and work in New York in the 1850s was to be inured to a culture of innovation and novelty—of exciting new ways of thinking about the project of what literature and art could look like and who could compose it. Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 9 Oct. 2024 Biases may be pronounced in scientific communities inured to defending against science denialism and historical persecution. Andréa Morris, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for inure 

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 13 Dec. 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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