ingrain 1 of 2

variants also engrain
1
as in to inculcate
to cause (as a person) to become filled or saturated with a certain quality or principle the journalism professor has long ingrained his students with a deep respect for their chosen profession

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to etch
to produce a vivid impression of the third-world privation he had witnessed forever ingrained itself upon the young doctor's memory

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

ingrain

2 of 2

adjective

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb ingrain differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ingrain are imbue, infuse, inoculate, leaven, and suffuse. While all these words mean "to introduce one thing into another so as to affect it throughout," ingrain, used only in the passive or past participle, suggests the deep implanting of a quality or trait.

clung to ingrained habits

When is it sensible to use imbue instead of ingrain?

The words imbue and ingrain are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, imbue implies the introduction of a quality that fills and permeates the whole being.

imbue students with intellectual curiosity

Where would infuse be a reasonable alternative to ingrain?

While the synonyms infuse and ingrain are close in meaning, infuse implies a pouring in of something that gives new life or significance.

new members infused enthusiasm into the club

In what contexts can inoculate take the place of ingrain?

In some situations, the words inoculate and ingrain are roughly equivalent. However, inoculate implies an imbuing or implanting with a germinal idea and often suggests stealth or subtlety.

an electorate inoculated with dangerous ideas

When is leaven a more appropriate choice than ingrain?

Although the words leaven and ingrain have much in common, leaven implies introducing something that enlivens, tempers, or markedly alters the total quality.

a serious play leavened with comic moments

When might suffuse be a better fit than ingrain?

The synonyms suffuse and ingrain are sometimes interchangeable, but suffuse implies a spreading through of something that gives an unusual color or quality.

a room suffused with light

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 ingrain
Verb
An anxiety attached itself to choice even as the rituals of consumption were becoming ingrained—the coveting, the browsing, the haggling, the price comparison. Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 23 June 2025 This brings a continuity to our mission and James and Anne’s philosophy which the sons were ingrained with growing up there. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2025 Far more than catenaccio — a methodology ingrained by Helenio Herrera, an Argentine-Moroccan, at Inter in the 1960s — what is innately Italian is the ability to bring Italy to the world. James Horncastle, New York Times, 15 May 2025 The corner of Lafayette and Bleecker is ingrained not just in the brand’s DNA, but in mine as well. Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 15 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for ingrain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingrain
Verb
  • Imbued with empathy, Canseco is poised to extend the ambassador mentality inculcated at the fair in her first-in-her-family journey to college.
    News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 June 2025
  • Abe was part of a conservative faction of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and known for his association with Nippon Kaigi, an influential conservative organization that among other goals advocated teaching Japanese history to inculcate national pride.
    Jennifer Lind, Foreign Affairs, 12 July 2022
Verb
  • Regardless of how the rest of Thornton’s career plays out, she’ll be forever etched in the Valkyries’ record books.
    Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 18 July 2025
  • For over 1,900 miles, from the shores of the Arabian Sea to the icy mountain peaks of Kashmir, a line intended to divide Hindus from Muslims is visibly etched onto the surface of the globe.
    Sam Dalrymple, Time, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Part of what makes fans so entrenched in sports is the unpredictability of it all.
    Mat Issa, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • Most faces in the room were already entrenched in long-term deals, but the Broncos did work quickly in free agency to bring back reserve tackle Matt Peart on a two-year deal.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 13 July 2025
Adjective
  • The sport of off-roading suffers from a fundamental discordance: The desire to get out into nature and the irreparable harm inherent in the process of off-roading.
    Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025
  • Unfortunately, this scenario represents a national obsession that has no inherent benefits but also portends deep regret for millions.
    Scott Liftman, Boston Herald, 25 July 2025
Verb
  • Once the sugar has been infused with strawberry, add 2.5 oz of water and mix to dissolve it.
    Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 23 July 2025
  • During a drug and alcohol infused blackout in 1989, Osbourne almost choked his wife Sharon Osbourne to death.
    Daniela Avila, People.com, 22 July 2025
Verb
  • The special edition iPhone is limited to just seven units, with each one having a unique number engraved on it.
    Prakhar Khanna, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • First, there were delays in getting the stone engraved.
    Killian Baarlaer, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
Adjective
  • When work aligns with personal values, intrinsic motivation flourishes.
    AllBusiness, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025
  • Behind that, the bourbon’s intrinsic grain, vanilla, chocolate, and caramel notes buttress the palate, making this a unique sipper that would work really well in an Old Fashioned for coffee lovers.
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 17 July 2025
Verb
  • No one knows exactly how golden oyster mushrooms escaped into the wild, whether from a grow kit, a commercial mushroom farm or outdoor logs inoculated with golden oysters – a home-cultivation technique where mushroom mycelium is placed into logs to colonize the wood and produce mushrooms.
    Aishwarya Veerabahu, The Conversation, 16 July 2025
  • The Rockets are now in a position to trade five of their own firsts — in 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030 and 2032 — in any future blockbuster that comes to pass in the next 24 months, because the Suns’ picks in 2027 and 2029 inoculate them from the Stepien rule.
    John Hollinger, New York Times, 22 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ingrain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingrain. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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