Definition of inheritancenext
as in legacy
something that is or may be inherited a keen sense of humor was her inheritance from her mother

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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 inheritance For instance, news of a bonus, settlement, loan, scholarship or inheritance may be around the corner. Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 18 Jan. 2026 Helping with college, a down payment, or a life transition often matters far more than an inheritance decades later. Steve Booren, Denver Post, 18 Jan. 2026 Zoetic Stage’s production leaves a lasting impression especially in today’s atmosphere — that true inheritance lies in preserving the struggles of those who came before and guarding their memories to ensure that the past doesn’t suffer erasure. Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 16 Jan. 2026 Every family may hand down its share of struggles and traumas, but Dabis’s movie suggests that Palestinians living under the yoke of occupation must deal with an especially cruel and binding inheritance. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inheritance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inheritance
Noun
  • In 2018, Spence received Jamaica’s National Medal for Science and Technology, and today, visitors to the Kingston distillery can journey through the Joy Spence Rum Experience to learn more about the life and legacy of Jamaica’s pioneering master blender.
    Maggie McGrath, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
  • While there’s not a plethora of information available about Lee, there is a legacy of what the Shakers — now numbering three members in Maine’s Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village — left behind, from journals, text, hymns and, in particular, furniture and architecture.
    Randy Myers, Mercury News, 20 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The expansion will be located on about 900 acres, which the university was given in 1940 through a bequest from Horace Williams, a former professor of philosophy at UNC.
    Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
  • Your church is not going to receive the full $1 million bequest because there simply is not enough money to fund it.
    Virginia Hammerle, Dallas Morning News, 18 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Truwit's gift could offer more Paralympic swimmers the option to compete without having to take on additional work.
    Liz Elting, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
  • While a watch isn’t a revolutionary gift idea, a Shinola watch is a different story.
    Irene Richardson, InStyle, 21 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Inheritance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inheritance. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.

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