inherit

inherit — verb

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

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

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.

例句

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)

同義詞
  • 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

反義詞
  • disinherit

    to prevent someone from inheriting by changing a will

文法句型

inherit + noun phrase

be inherited by + person

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

❌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.動詞及物B2
釋義

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.

例句

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

同義詞

文法句型

inherit + trait + from + relative

用法筆記

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'.

常見錯誤

❌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.動詞及物C1
釋義

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.

例句

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)

同義詞
反義詞
  • start fresh

    to begin without the burden of prior conditions

  • create

    to build something new rather than take over existing conditions

文法句型

inherit + situation/problem + from + predecessor

用法筆記

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.

常見錯誤

❌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.