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
Our task and the task of all of us who have known, or met, or listened to a Holocaust survivor must be to ingrain these memories—the survivors’ legacy to the world—into the permanent consciousness of humankind. Menachem Z. Rosensaft, TIME, 27 Jan. 2025 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 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
  • The illustrations themselves are saw-pierced from silver or etched and enameled on copper, which results in a deep red color.
    Kyle Roderick, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Crime and punishment get etched into the public imagination largely through media reproduction of figures like Alex and Luigi.
    Sarah C. Schaefer, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Same goes for the other key core members, many of whom — like Brandon Miller, Tre Mann and Grant Williams — were entrenched in the row of sets behind the team’s bench.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Of course, that nothing much will change was largely self-evident by the fact that this NPC follows on the heels of last July’s third CCP plenum, where long-term goals were laid out: bolstering party-state capitalism, countering U.S. containment, boosting innovation, and entrenching loyalty to Xi.
    Charlie Campbell, TIME, 5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • This setup has worked well for me because of the inherent trust within our relationships.
    Dustin Lemick, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
  • At a basic level, the odd number creates an inherent imbalance, Barbie Atkinson, LPC, founder of Catalyst Counseling in Houston, tells SELF.
    Jenna Ryu, SELF, 3 Mar. 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
  • Imagine a rich, dark chocolate infused with a cannabis strain high in myrcene, known for its relaxing properties.
    Matt Rozo, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The stones, which were too badly damaged in the fire to reuse, weigh roughly 800 grams each and have been engraved with the silhouette of the iconic structure’s main façade.
    Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Oscar trophies were now circulating the room, as winners had finally finished making their party rounds — all stopping at Governors Ball to get their awards engraved.
    Ryma Chikhoune, WWD, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Alternative ideas, whatever those might be, have intrinsic value.
    Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The intrinsic value of jewelry is widely acknowledged.
    Shannon Adducci, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • This aside is a rare reference to the efforts Washington employed in February 1777 to have the whole Continental Army inoculated against smallpox.
    Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025
  • Imagine the pain and suffering if more parents ignore science and refuse to inoculate their children against tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, measles and rubella.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 3 Jan. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ingrain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingrain. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

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