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 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 Platt notes that this change in approach came at a time when popular ideas about race were shifting toward a focus on inborn, genetic differences. Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 28 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inborn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inborn
Adjective
  • In theory, that should smooth some of the rough edges inherent to a first-time starting quarterback.
    Pete Sampson, New York Times, 18 June 2025
  • And this fact is unrelated to another fact: Israel unequivocally has an inherent right to exist.
    DP Opinion, Denver Post, 17 June 2025
Adjective
  • Unfortunately for her and other patients, there's no specific treatment for the genetic disease.
    Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2025
  • When the main family began dying out and failed to produce an heir, the branch families were always there to lend a male with the right genetic pedigree for adoption.
    Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
Adjective
  • Is your motivation for doing well extrinsic or intrinsic?
    DP Opinion, Denver Post, 11 June 2025
  • This intrinsic volatility is a typical trait of new, avant-garde technologies.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
Adjective
  • This hereditary disease causes your body to absorb too much iron from your diet.
    Suchandrima Bhowmik, Health, 24 May 2025
  • One of the Clarksons likely received the Magna Carta at some point in the early 1800s from William Lowther, the hereditary lord of Appleby manor.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • Becoming Prepared For Tomorrow AI is no longer a frontier test technology but is becoming an integral part of engineering excellence.
    Srinivasa Rao Bittla, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • Orlando’s ‘Ren’ Theatre pushes boundaries to make its artistic mark Orlando’s Renaissance Theatre has become an integral part of the Central Florida theater scene — by pushing theatrical boundaries.
    Matthew J. Palm, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • Captions are essential, especially on mobile devices or in quiet settings.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • Emotional requirements: Compassion, patience and resilience are all essential but don’t expect emotional support in return.
    JJ Holmes, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 June 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 24 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on inborn

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