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

Those words have been virtually ingrained in the players’ heads. —Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2025

Unlike that of any other TV program, SNL’s mystique—behind the hiring process, how to break out on-air, the clockwork nature of the production schedule—has become ingrained in the public imagination. —David Sims, The Atlantic, 1 Oct. 2025

This is something truly ingrained in the vineyard's hosting ritual, and a thoughtful, final touch any host can do. —Isabella Milano, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2025

But opposition to ObamaCare is ingrained in the Republican Party’s DNA. —Emily Brooks, The Hill, 30 Sep. 2025