Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of inborn are congenital, hereditary, inbred, and innate. While all these words mean "not acquired after birth," 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

How do congenital and hereditary relate to one another, in the sense of inborn?

Both 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 can inbred be used instead of inborn?

The words inbred and inborn are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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

In what contexts can innate take the place of inborn?

The synonyms innate and inborn are sometimes interchangeable, but innate applies to qualities or characteristics that are part of one's inner essential nature.

an innate sense of fair play

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of inborn Her looks and style seem inborn. Rosemary Feitelberg, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019 But that look of inborn chic didn’t just happen. Tonya Blazio-Licorish, WWD, 3 Sep. 2019 Naturally, jumping styles are not necessarily inborn, immutable traits. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025 Like so many inborn traits, the spiritual impulse for prayer can grow stronger, and just as easily grow weaker. Lynne Silva-Breen, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inborn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inborn
Adjective
  • Performance Trade-Offs: Real-time applications face inherent constraints due to the computational overhead of symbolic reasoning, knowledge graph traversal and the general reduction in inference speeds compared to pure neural approaches.
    Anuradha Weeraman, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • The fibers’ inherent comfort also resonates with lifestyle brands like Ugg.
    SJ Studio, Sourcing Journal, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • Shorter telomeres are associated with genetic instability.
    Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
  • It is set to be acquired by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology firm focused on using genetic data to develop new drugs.
    Karoline Leonard, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
Adjective
  • In a 2021 study published in Psychological Reports, researchers explored how intrinsic motivation, the internal drive to act based on interest, personal importance or inner values, affects satisfaction in long-term romantic relationships.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
  • Underlying all of this is the intrinsic tendency to resist cooperation.
    Harvey Levine, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 June 2025
Adjective
  • The extravagant, dissolute life Prince Albert II of Monaco continues to bolster arguments of those who think that hereditary monarchies should not be allowed to exist in the 21st century.
    Martha Ross, Mercury News, 18 June 2025
  • In a world of hereditary monarchies, there was a very real possibility at the time of America’s founding that whoever gained power would refuse to hand it over when the time came.
    Frederic J. Fransen, Twin Cities, 11 June 2025
Adjective
  • Legal recourse can be an integral part of institutional strategy.
    John Marino, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • Scientific fieldwork is an integral part of research in many disciplines, including geology, geography, forestry, ecology, and others.
    Sarah Boon June 25, Literary Hub, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • Naturally produced by your body, collagen is an essential protein that helps build and maintain skin, bones, and connective tissues.
    Brianna Peters, Vogue, 1 July 2025
  • The House bill text also included a provision prohibiting Obamacare marketplace insurance plans from including gender transition procedures as an essential health benefit.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 1 July 2025
Adjective
  • Quoting the late American historian Yosef Hayim Yerushalmi, Horn said Jewish culture makes a distinction between history and memory, and Jews are more interested in memory: investing a historical event with eternal, inheritable meaning.
    Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Our vision is that the future of design will have a long lasting inheritable quality.
    Sydney Gore, Architectural Digest, 6 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Inborn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inborn. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on inborn

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