ingrain 1 of 2

variants also engrain
Definition of ingrainnext
1
as in to suffuse
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
From junior games on pitches every weekend, to crowds piling into pubs to watch England play the World Cup, football, as it is called outside of the United States, is deeply ingrained in the British national psyche. Sheena McKenzie, CNN Money, 7 June 2026 The rally marks a first test in a country where Catholicism, for centuries deeply ingrained in Spanish society, has dramatically dropped in recent decades. Claudio Lavanga, NBC news, 6 June 2026 Inspired by This Is Spinal Tap, Cundieff makes quick work of lambasting the casual misogyny and homophobia ingrained in hardcore rap, but also of the media scolds unable to parse the message of the music. Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 June 2026 Soccer is not ingrained in Canada’s national psyche the way (ice) hockey is. Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for ingrain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingrain
Verb
  • His brow is porcelain-smooth and suffused with light, his locks glossy and curled, his nose straight and regular.
    Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 3 July 2026
  • The seductive serenity of the Alps on a sunny day suffused the scene.
    William Finnegan, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • His work was later etched into metal plates and used to mass-produce publicity prints.
    Julius Miller, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
  • Evidence of this residue can be seen as water spots or etching glass surfaces, clean laundry that feels stiff and scratchy, and toilet bowl rings that trap bacteria.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 23 June 2026
Verb
  • The day after rooting on the soccer icon during his FIFA World Cup 0-0 match against Colombia at Hard Rock Stadium, Rodriguez partook in a little Me Time.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 29 June 2026
  • The shoe itself remains fully rooted in Hoka’s performance DNA, even as it is positioned for lifestyle use.
    Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 28 June 2026
Adjective
  • Separating identity from one's profession allows for continuous learning and thriving in an evolving workplace, ensuring value comes from inherent capabilities, not just a role.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • The physical configuration achieves passive safety operational profiles by relying on subcritical physics variables and inherent material limitations.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • Teaching religion at two Catholic high schools before and after law school, my job was to inculcate Roman Catholic values in my students.
    Charles J. Russo, The Conversation, 29 June 2026
  • We were constantly informed that our purpose was to become genteel and inculcated in Christian virtue.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Verb
  • These include an elite Viking Age burial site unearthed near Lisbjerg and engraved 9th century silver bangles, found in Elsted, that functioned as currency whose value was determined by the jewelry’s weight.
    Leslie Katz, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • The ring now bears both women's wedding dates engraved side by side.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026
Verb
  • With Claude Tag, Anthropic hopes to ease some of these burdens by simplifying the product and embedding it where companies already operate day-to-day.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 23 June 2026
  • Now, risk is embedded in day-to-day operations.
    Laurent Charpentier, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • Andrew Warden, vice president of marketing at Adobe, noted that brands need to adapt to the fact that AI is now an intrinsic part of the default search experience.
    Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 29 June 2026
  • Brand sentiment, the real measure of a creator's intrinsic value, the strength of their network and how much their audience genuinely trusts them.
    Taylor Reilly, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Ingrain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingrain. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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