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
At Booz Allen, inclusion is ingrained in the company’s DNA. Jennifer Jay Palumbo, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 Since then, lotteries have been ingrained in U.S. history – with mixed success. Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025 But their aunt Winny Brodt Brown was one of the first stars for the Minnesota program, and ingrained a part of Gopher Nation in the girls’ psyches from an early age. Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2025 The plain, pensive framings are shot through with vectors of power both official and unofficial: pandemic regulations and the administrative tangles around real estate impose one kind of stricture; tradition and ingrained mores provide another. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ingrain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingrain
Verb
  • This approach, driven by the following strategies, can help inculcate a culture of innovation and transform teams into innovation champions.
    Sivakumar Ramakrishnan, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Brad has inculcated an ethos of approaching cinema with a longer life, which Dede and I already had seeds of in our respective practices.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 12 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • During a visit last fall, a representative from Pace Gallery, Samaras’s longtime dealer, pulled a black binder from a shelf, one among dozens lined up in an orderly row, to reveal hundreds more self-portraits, intricately etched in pencil.
    Andrew Moore, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Both Bregman and Story have second base experience, and that position isn’t etched in stone.
    Scott Thompson, Fox News, 17 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The country’s economy is tottering and reliant on IMF bailouts, while the powerful military is entrenched in every aspect of life, according to its critics.
    Sophia Saifi, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
  • The Reds haven’t had a first baseman or third baseman play in at least half of the team’s games since 2021, when Votto and Suárez were entrenched in those spots.
    C. Trent Rosecrans, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • In today’s digital world, there are inherent tools for marketers in search of a wider and more targeted audience.
    Marc Berman, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
  • While a qubit can hold multiple values at the same time, it is burdened by an inherent problem.
    Cade Metz, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The accessories elevated these ready-to-wear pieces, refining the silhouettes and color palettes while infusing a subtle sensuality.
    Tiana Randall, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025
  • By partnering with internationally renowned artists across various fields, Loewe infuses its products with artistic value, appealing to high-net-worth cultural consumers who use their purchases to express their tastes and attitudes.
    WWD, WWD, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • What is so extraordinary is that this artifact was engraved with a series of tiny, horizontal grooves, researchers said.
    Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 20 Feb. 2025
  • Timex has also added a few thoughtful touches, like the pump style pushers and the Waterbury Watch Company logo engraved on the crown, which are nice throwback cues to the brands heritage.
    Matthew Catellier, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • But the label’s intrinsic modernity also seems to happily coexist with its deep, winding roots.
    Leah Dolan, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
  • This illustrates the intrinsic, expensive difficulty of intercepting even dummy intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
    Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Still, some of Mr. Merz’s allies suggested Thursday that the episode had effectively inoculated him and the Christian Democrats against claims of being unresponsive to voters on migration.
    Christopher F. Schuetze, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025
  • Thirteen thousand seedlings have already been inoculated, allowing these symbiotic associations between the tree and the fungi to develop before they are planted out.
    Alexa Phillips, WIRED, 16 Dec. 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Ingrain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingrain. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.

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