Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of innate are congenital, hereditary, inborn, and inbred. While all these words mean "not acquired after birth," innate applies to qualities or characteristics that are part of one's inner essential nature.

an innate sense of fair play

How are the words congenital and hereditary related as synonyms of innate?

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 would inborn be a good substitute for innate?

The meanings of inborn and innate largely overlap; however, 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 might inbred be a better fit than innate?

The synonyms inbred and innate 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

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 innate There was also something innate to showing up to take care of herself that broke with everything she had been taught. Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025 That is the innate nature of our people. Richard B. Williams, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025 So, to anybody lacking Forest’s innate wisdom, Nuno to Ange is one crunching gear change. Phil Hay, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025 Tommy Robinson dismissing any agency or autonomy that women should have as an innate human right. Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for innate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for innate
Adjective
  • There’s such an inherent contradiction between golf as an individual sport and the Ryder Cup as a team event.
    Jayson Jenks, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
  • During inflation, the Universe must have been devoid of matter-and-radiation and instead contained some sort of energy — whether inherent to space or as part of a field — that didn’t dilute as the Universe expanded.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Urban streams, even once restored, suffer a number of ailments intrinsic to their circumstances and surroundings.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Monetary debasement, the practice of reducing the intrinsic value of a currency, is a tale as old as time.
    Alex Pron, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Alongside the expert curation of the SXSW London programming, the open submissions process plays an integral role in the festival.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025
  • City have brought in 10 new faces since January and let eight senior players leave, many of whom were integral parts of their four-title-in-a-row stretch from 2020-21 to 2023-24.
    Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • As fall settles in, knitwear returns as the ultimate layering essential for transitional fashion.
    Minty Mellon, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2025
  • The company already operates 91 data centers across 29 regions, but said the expansion was essential to meet rising demand from AI developers and enterprise customers.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Innate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/innate. Accessed 25 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on innate

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