inherit

inherit — verb

1. to become the owner of money, possessions, or property that belonged to someone

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to become the owner of money, possessions, or property that belonged to someone who has died, most often because a will or the law gives it to you.

Example

After her grandmother passed away, Salma inherited a small apartment in the city centre.

inherit + noun phrase (property)

The eldest son inherited the family farm when his father died last winter.

inherit + noun phrase (estate)

Common collocations
  • inherit money
  • inherit property
  • inherit a house
  • inherit land
  • inherit wealth
  • inherit an estate
  • inherit a fortune
Synonyms
  • receive

    more general; does not require death of the giver

  • come into

    informal, British; often used for money or property unexpectedly received

  • be left

    passive construction; focuses on what the deceased gave

  • succeed to

    formal; used mainly for titles, thrones, or official positions

Antonyms
  • disinherit

    to prevent someone from inheriting by changing a will

Grammar Patterns

inherit + noun phrase

be inherited by + person

Usage Note

Frequently used with 'from' to name the person who died. The passive form ('be inherited by') places emphasis on the object rather than the heir.

Common Mistakes

I inherited a watch from my father while he is still alive.
My father gave me a watch while he is still alive.
Use 'inherit' only when the giver has died.
She inherited her mother's car after her mother gave it to her.
She received her mother's car as a gift.
If the previous owner is still living, use 'receive' or 'was given', not 'inherit'.

2. to have a physical feature, ability, or medical condition because it was passed

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to have a physical feature, ability, or medical condition because it was passed to you through the genetic material handed down from earlier generations of your family.

Example

Haruto inherited his mother's dark eyes and his father's musical talent.

inherit + physical trait + from + relative

The Lin sisters inherited a blood disorder from their parents and needed regular hospital check-ups.

inherit + medical condition + from + relative + with consequence

Common collocations
  • inherit traits
  • inherit characteristics
  • inherit genes
  • inherit eye colour
  • inherit a condition
  • inherit a disorder
  • inherit features
  • inherit a tendency
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

inherit + trait + from + relative

Usage Note

Common with physical features (eye colour, height) and medical conditions. For personality traits, English often prefers 'get from' (informal) or 'have a tendency to' (formal). The source is introduced with 'from'.

Common Mistakes

I inherited my father's temper after he died.
I got my temper from my father.' or 'I inherited my father's temper through genetics.
For personality, 'inherit' is possible but sounds very formal; 'get from' is more natural. Also, avoid mixing the genetic sense with death.

3. to have to take on a difficult issue that was already there when you started a n

3.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

to have to take on a difficult issue that was already there when you started a new job or role, especially one left by the previous person.

Example

The new manager inherited a company that was millions of dollars in debt.

inherit + difficult financial situation

When Nikhil took over the department, he inherited a team with very low morale.

inherit + situation + from + predecessor (implied)

Common collocations
  • inherit a problem
  • inherit a crisis
  • inherit debt
  • inherit a mess
  • inherit a situation
  • inherit a conflict
  • inherit a system
  • inherit a workload
Synonyms
Antonyms
  • start fresh

    to begin without the burden of prior conditions

  • create

    to build something new rather than take over existing conditions

Grammar Patterns

inherit + situation/problem + from + predecessor

Usage Note

The 'inherited' item is nearly always something negative or burdensome — debt, a crisis, a messy system. Positive things received from a predecessor (a well-run team, good resources) are not typically described with 'inherit' in this sense.

Common Mistakes

The new CEO inherited a successful business with growing profits.
The new CEO took over a successful business.
This sense of 'inherit' usually implies something difficult or troublesome, not a positive situation.

Word family

  • inheritance
    nounB2
  • heir
    nounB2
  • heiress
    nounC1
  • inheritor
    nounC1
  • inherited
    adjectiveB2
  • inheritable
    adjectiveC1
  • disinherit
    verbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All five words describe obtaining something, but 'inherit' is the only one that specifically requires the previous owner to have died and a legal or customary process to transfer ownership. 'Receive' is the broadest term and works for any gift, payment, or delivery regardless of context. 'Come into' is an informal British phrasal verb that often implies unexpected or sudden acquisition of money or property, and it can but does not have to involve death. 'Be left' is a passive construction focusing on what the deceased gave through a will — 'She was left a painting by her aunt.' 'Succeed to' is very formal and used almost exclusively for titles, thrones, or official positions: 'Prince Charles succeeded to the throne.' For everyday use, choose 'inherit' when someone has died and the law or a will is involved; use 'receive' for all other transfers.

inherit ↗receive ↗come into ↗be leftsucceed to

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • inherit from someone
  • inherit by law
  • inherit through a will

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The word 'inherit' entered English through Old French 'enheriter', which meant 'to make someone an heir'. This French verb came from the Late Latin 'inherēditāre', built from the prefix 'in-' (in) and 'hērēditās' (inheritance). The Latin root 'hēres' means 'heir' — someone who receives property after a death. The genetic sense of inheriting traits dates from the early 19th century, long after the original legal meaning was established.