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
A lot of what's holding them back is some of the religious views ingrained from a young age. David Oliver, USA TODAY, 8 Oct. 2024 To prevent this, fairness must be ingrained at the foundational level. Prajeet Gadekar, Forbes, 3 Oct. 2024 The beverages are ingrained into Mormon culture in the Mountain West, where the faith prohibits consuming coffee and alcohol. Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 28 Sep. 2024 Social media has ingrained in the public a habit of ideological certainty that playwrights worth their salt know is a lie. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ingrain 

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 12 Oct. 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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