Synonyms of hereditary

hereditary

adjective

hə-ˈre-də-ˌter-ē 

as in genetic

genetically passed or capable of being passed from parent to offspring

eye and hair color are hereditary

Synonyms & Similar Words

• genetic
• inherited
• inherent
• inheritable
• genetical
• heritable
• inborn
• congenital
• innate
• inbred
• native
• natural

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• nonhereditary
• acquired

Synonym Chooser

How is the word hereditary different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of hereditary are congenital, inborn, inbred, and innate. While all these words mean "not acquired after birth," congenital and hereditary refer to what is acquired before or at birth, the former to things acquired during fetal development and the latter to things transmitted from one's ancestors.

a congenital heart murmur

eye color is hereditary

When might inborn be a better fit than hereditary?

While the synonyms inborn and hereditary are close in meaning, inborn suggests a quality or tendency either actually present at birth or so marked and deep-seated as to seem so.

her inborn love of nature

When can inbred be used instead of hereditary?

The synonyms inbred and hereditary are sometimes interchangeable, but inbred suggests something either acquired from parents by heredity or so deeply rooted and ingrained as to seem acquired in that way.

inbred political loyalties

Where would innate be a reasonable alternative to hereditary?

While in some cases nearly identical to hereditary, innate applies to qualities or characteristics that are part of one's inner essential nature.

an innate sense of fair play

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hereditary

Keep in mind, only 5% to 10% of breast cancers are hereditary. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 1 Oct. 2025

It's not attributed to genetic syndromes or hereditary cancers, because these things take generations to increase in your genes. —Claire Dodds, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025

Chinese doctors warned clinicians that patients may deploy Confucian metaphors framing hereditary cancer as moral condemnation. —Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025

Proprietary software turns the customer’s hereditary material into a new dataset, a textile weave pattern, using an algorithmic process similar to encryption. —Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025