ingrains

variants also engrains
present tense third-person singular of ingrain
1
as in suffuses
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in etches
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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingrains
Verb
  • An eerie soundscape, marked by a persistent thump reminiscent of a body hitting the water, suffuses the film.
    — Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Nacer is quite good at variations of patriarchal obliviousness, and Pebdani suffuses her women with streaks of guilt.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Gibney’s film etches a picture of an Elon intent on taking over the world.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The system etches three redundant data matrix codes, similar to QR codes, into the graphite surface, with markings approximately half a millimeter deep, according to the company.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • However, her performance soon takes on a more grounded, childlike cadence, which roots the supposedly amnesiac Margot a little too firmly within the literal, especially for a tale whose poetry lies in its uncanniness.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Instead, Nowell roots the band’s sound in the mid-’90s and keeps his vocal mannerisms as close to Bradley’s as possible.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 15 June 2026
Verb
  • City finished 17 points behind Chelsea when Chelsea won their most recent title, and maybe after a while that inculcates a sense of shakiness, or not-quite-worthiness.
    — Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • Because there’s something about the college environment that really inculcates hierarchy.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Verb
  • Malcolm Arnold’s 2,000-square-foot business, Apple Core Electronics, on Flushing Avenue in Bushwick makes exterior intercom panels, sets their wiring, punches buttons and engraves addresses.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The company also engraves the names of the two teams, the final score, the location of the game and its date on the trophy base.
    — Paul Edward Parker, The Providence Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The protesters also win over an initially unnerved local news reporter (Dylan O’Brien), who embeds with them as a communications ally.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The regal-looking Oculus design is flattering in its curvilinear, embeds the diamond securely within its basket, and, once again, can go so far as to represent two lives uniting as one — sans borders, boundaries, or barriers.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • As the diamond tip buffs away dead skin cells, it's designed to simultaneously infuses two separate serums into the face.
    — Elizabeth Gulino, Allure, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The spicy sauce takes the classic mustard, tangy, and sweet flavors of Chick-fil-A sauce and infuses it with spicy peppers.
    — Melinda Salchert, Southern Living, 16 Oct. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Ingrains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingrains. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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