Synonyms of ingratiating

ingratiating 1 of 2

adjective

in-ˈgrā-shē-ˌā-tiŋ 

as in charming

likely or intended to win one's affection

one of the orphans had a most ingratiating smile

Synonyms & Similar Words

• charming
• adorable
• endearing
• affecting
• winning
• insinuating
• disarming
• likable
• winsome
• lovable
• touching
• servile
• deferential
• obsequious
• effusive
• flattering
• sycophantic
• poignant
• saccharine
• oleaginous
• adulatory
• sugary
• soapy
• unctuous
• kowtowing
• fulsome
• groveling
• slobbering
• drooling
• slavering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• alienating
• displeasing
• repulsive
• uningratiating
• repugnant
• arrogant
• unendearing
• haughty
• disaffecting
• insolent
• proud
• scornful
• disdainful

ingratiating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of ingratiate

as in comforting

often disapproving to gain favor or approval for (yourself) by doing or saying things that people like

She has tried to ingratiate herself with voters by promising a tax cut.

Related Words

• comforting
• appeasing
• consoling
• satisfying
• placating
• disarming
• mollifying
• conciliating
• contenting
• pacifying
• propitiating
• gratifying
• soothing
• pleasing
• calming
• tranquilizing
• flattering
• assuaging
• endearing (to)
• delighting
• gladdening
• humoring
• quieting
• gentling
• hushing
• coaxing
• wheedling
• satiating
• indulging
• cajoling
• adulating
• overpraising
• quenching
• catering (to)
• mollycoddling
• toadying
• coddling
• pampering
• sating
• truckling
• sweet-talking
• kowtowing
• blarneying
• bootlicking
• sweetening
• babying
• spoiling
• blandishing
• soft-soaping
• dulcifying
• sucking (up)
• apple-polishing
• fussing

Dissimilar Words

• irritating
• aggravating
• antagonizing
• exasperating
• getting
• annoying
• grating
• crossing
• vexing
• nettling
• bothering
• galling
• bugging
• provoking
• riling
• ruffling
• burning (up)
• rousing
• rankling
• roiling
• chafing
• putting out
• irking
• piquing
• harassing
• persecuting
• pestering
• disturbing
• harrying
• upsetting
• distressing
• insulting
• unsettling
• worrying
• perturbing
• discomforting
• agitating
• peeving
• offending
• fretting
• affronting
• unhinging
• slighting
• infuriating
• maddening
• enraging
• angering
• inflaming
• outraging
• incensing
• iring

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of ingratiating

Adjective

Sweeney stars as Penny Jo, a South Dakota diner waitress with an appealing smile, an ingratiating stammer, a scarf in her hair, and deep reserves of ruthless ambition. — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025

Still, on a moment-to-moment basis, the film has tension, strong character dynamics and sharp individual portraits whose astringency gets alleviated by Gottsagen and James’ more ingratiating turns. — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025

Verb

Many subscribers to the old model had become attached to its warm, enthusiastically agreeable tone and complained at the loss of their ingratiating robotic companion. — Cody Turner, The Conversation, 1 May 2026

But the meetings were also about Döpfner ingratiating himself to the right-of-center political leaders that make up some of the UK broadsheet’s audience (and source base). — Max Tani, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026