ingrain

1 of 3

verb

in·​grain (ˌ)in-ˈgrān How to pronounce ingrain (audio)
variants or less commonly engrain
ingrained also engrained; ingraining also engraining; ingrains also engrains

transitive verb

: to work indelibly into the natural texture or mental or moral constitution

ingrain

2 of 3

adjective

in·​grain ˈin-ˌgrān How to pronounce ingrain (audio)
1
a
: made of fiber that is dyed before being spun into yarn
b
: made of yarn that is dyed before being woven or knitted
2
: thoroughly worked in : innate

ingrain

3 of 3

noun

in·​grain ˈin-ˌgrān How to pronounce ingrain (audio)
: innate quality or character
Choose the Right Synonym for ingrain

infuse, suffuse, imbue, ingrain, inoculate, leaven mean to introduce one thing into another so as to affect it throughout.

infuse implies a pouring in of something that gives new life or significance.

new members infused enthusiasm into the club

suffuse implies a spreading through of something that gives an unusual color or quality.

a room suffused with light

imbue implies the introduction of a quality that fills and permeates the whole being.

imbue students with intellectual curiosity

ingrain, used only in the passive or past participle, suggests the deep implanting of a quality or trait.

clung to ingrained habits

inoculate implies an imbuing or implanting with a germinal idea and often suggests stealth or subtlety.

an electorate inoculated with dangerous ideas

leaven implies introducing something that enlivens, tempers, or markedly alters the total quality.

a serious play leavened with comic moments

Examples of ingrain in a Sentence

Verb the journalism professor has long ingrained his students with a deep respect for their chosen profession the third-world privation he had witnessed forever ingrained itself upon the young doctor's memory Adjective an ingrain skepticism that saves him from falling for every hoax that comes along
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Our ideas about what being a good girlfriend entails are ingrained in ideals around perpetual selflessness and self-sacrifice. Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 13 Mar. 2024 Many Americans have ingrained coffee in their everyday habits, with the average adult drinking over three cups daily, according to the National Coffee Association. Alexandra Banner, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 Celebrities are amplifiers Oscar winning actor and Thelma & Louise star Susan Sarandon describes her lifelong activism as something that's ingrained in her being. Elizabeth Blair, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024 There are artists’ studios in pretty much every neighborhood of every borough, ingrained in the city’s architecture unlike anything else but bodegas and pizzerias. M.h. Miller Miranda Barnes, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2024 Also ingrained in the series is her Jewish identity, and her character is shown experiencing antisemitism in flashbacks. Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Feb. 2024 The leading open-source firms are those that have ingrained adaptability into their DNA. Vladyslav Matsiiako, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Vance said the issue is a societal one that has been ingrained for at least 50 years. Breccan F. Thies, Washington Examiner, 6 Oct. 2023 The football-baseball combination is particularly ingrained in Notre Dame lore, going back to Tim Foli, the No. 1 pick in the 1968 amateur baseball draft. Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2023
Noun
Pitching coaches and performance trainers can implement changes to grip, pressure points and arm angle, but alterations are generally more challenging to ingrain with fastballs than off-speed pitches. The Arizona Republic, 19 Apr. 2023 From their first five-mile hike to joining a weekend campout, outdoor adventures ingrain skills into our Scouts that are applicable in the real world. Dallas News, 12 Oct. 2020 Such moments are part of what ingrain Disney movies in us, says Favreau, noting that the family-friendly films are often a child’s first lesson in how to navigate life's bigger turns: love, death and personal ethics. Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY, 10 July 2019 Police forces actually only hire candidates that fall below a certain IQ level, and ingrain in their officers to simply take orders from the chiefs and mayor's. Joseph A. Gambardello, Philly.com, 27 Feb. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ingrain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1641, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1766, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ingrain was circa 1641

Dictionary Entries Near ingrain

Cite this Entry

“Ingrain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ingrain. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ingrain

1 of 2 verb
in·​grain (ˈ)in-ˈgrān How to pronounce ingrain (audio)
: to work deeply into the texture of something or into the mental or moral nature of someone
ingrain young children with responsibility

ingrain

2 of 2 adjective
in·​grain ˈin-ˌgrān How to pronounce ingrain (audio)
1
: made of fiber that is dyed before being spun into yarn
2
: made of yarn that is dyed before being woven or knitted
ingrain carpet

More from Merriam-Webster on ingrain

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