Synonyms of ingrain

ingrain 1 of 2

verb

(ˌ)in-ˈgrān 

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

• inculcate
• infuse
• inoculate
• imbue
• suffuse
• fill
• invest
• steep
• instill
• charge
• indue
• endue
• invigorate
• enliven
• animate
• saturate
• permeate
• plant
• pervade
• leaven
• impregnate
• overwhelm
• implant
• inundate
• flood
• submerge
• drown
• deluge

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deprive
• eliminate
• remove
• divest
• clear
• strip
• take (away)
• empty

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

• etch
• engrave
• brand
• impress
• imprint
• instill
• inculcate
• infuse
• imbue
• fix
• stamp
• infix
• set
• implant
• enroot

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• erase
• obliterate
• expunge
• blot out

3

as in to entrench

to set solidly in or as if in surrounding matter

tried to ingrain traditional values in their children

Synonyms & Similar Words

• entrench
• imbed
• establish
• root
• embed
• impact
• put
• instill
• intrench
• implant
• bed
• lodge
• infuse
• place
• imbue
• fix
• enroot
• beat (into)
• drive (into)
• stick
• settle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• eliminate
• dislodge
• eradicate
• uproot
• root (out)
• expel
• remove
• eject
• detach
• disengage
• disconnect

ingrain

2 of 2

adjective

ˈin-ˌgrān 

as in inherent

being a part of the innermost nature of a person or thing

an ingrain skepticism that saves him from falling for every hoax that comes along

Synonyms & Similar Words

• inherent
• intrinsic
• integral
• essential
• ingrained
• engrained
• hereditary
• constitutional
• innate
• indigenous
• natural
• inner
• native
• constitutive
• inbred
• inborn
• inherited
• fundamental
• hardwired
• basic
• immanent
• elemental
• congenital
• distinctive
• built-in
• characteristic
• internal
• in one's blood
• peculiar
• deep-rooted
• interior
• habitual
• typical
• normal
• inmost
• regular
• inveterate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• foreign
• extrinsic
• adventitious
• extraneous
• alien
• incidental
• accidental
• surface
• superficial
• acquired
• coincidental
• external
• adscititious
• exterior

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

Recent Examples of ingrain

Verb

Despite long days on set, the siblings didn’t fight — a life lesson their parents ingrained in them at a very young age. —Emily Weaver, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025

Service is deeply ingrained in the farm community. —Beth Ford, Time, 20 Aug. 2025

By the time Salah returned to England in 2017, gym work was fully ingrained in his life, inside and outside the club environment. —Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025

For four years, Hufanga ingrained himself into the fabric of San Francisco. —Luca Evans, Denver Post, 18 Aug. 2025