Meaning & use
introduce
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To bring two people together for the first time by telling each of them the other's name, or to tell a group who someone is.
Grammar: Takes an object, often with to: introduce your friend to the team.
Patterns
- introduce someone to someone
- introduce yourself
- introduce someone as something
Let me introduce you to my sister, Elena.
The host stood up and introduced the guest speaker to the audience.
She walked over and introduced herself to the new neighbors.
verbtransitive
To bring something into use, practice or existence for the first time in a place or system.
Grammar: Takes an object: introduce a new rule. Often followed by into or to.
Patterns
- introduce something into something
- introduce something to something
- introduce something in
The school introduced a recycling program last spring.
Settlers introduced rabbits into the region, and the population soon exploded.
The company will introduce its new phone in September.
verbtransitive
To let someone try or learn about something for the first time.
Grammar: Takes an object plus to: introduce a child to music.
Patterns
- introduce someone to something
My grandfather introduced me to chess when I was six.
Parents should introduce solid food to babies gradually.
A good teacher introduces students to new ideas without overwhelming them.
verbtransitive
To begin a talk, program or piece of writing by giving a first part that prepares the audience for what follows.
Grammar: Takes an object: the chapter introduces the main theme.
Patterns
- introduce something with something
The documentary is introduced by a short film about the river.
She introduced her talk with a surprising statistic.
Word forms
| third person singular | introduces |
|---|---|
| past tense | introduced |
| past participle | introduced |
| -ing form | introducing |
Common combinations
- introduce yourself
- Please stand up and introduce yourself to the group.
- introduce a bill
- The senator plans to introduce a bill on water safety.
- introduce a new product
- The bakery will introduce a new product line next month.
- formally introduce
- He was formally introduced to the queen at the ceremony.
- introduce a topic
- The teacher introduced the topic with a short video.
- introduce a species
- Introducing a foreign species can harm local wildlife.
Synonyms and how they differ
- present
- Present is more formal and is used when someone is brought before an important person or audience, whereas introduce works in any social meeting.
- launch
- Launch fits only products, projects or campaigns, often with a public event, while introduce can also mean quietly bringing in a rule or habit.
- initiate
- Initiate stresses starting a process or change, and sounds more formal than introduce, which stresses bringing something new into a place.
- acquaint
- Acquaint is formal and usually appears as acquaint someone with something, focusing on giving knowledge rather than on a first meeting.
Opposites
Word family
- introduction noun
- the act of introducing someone or something, or an opening section of a book or talk
- introductory adjective
- coming at the start, or meant for beginners
- reintroduce verb
- to bring back something that was removed or stopped
- introducer noun
- a person who introduces someone or something
Commonly confused: introduce or present? introduce or induct?
introduce vs present
Introduce tells people each other's names; present means to give or show something, such as a prize or a report, and is formal for bringing someone before an important person.
introduce vs induct
Induct means to formally admit someone into a group or office, not simply to tell them who someone is.
Practice
At the party, Marta wanted her two friends to meet, so she ____ them to each other.
Choose one answer.
Introduce is the verb for helping two people meet for the first time; it takes 'to' for the person met. Inducted means formally admitting to a group, and the other options do not fit the pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “introduce”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.