ingrained

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Firmly established over a long time and therefore very hard to change, as with a habit, belief, or attitude.

   Grammar: Works before a noun or after a verb: ingrained habits; the habit is ingrained.

   Patterns

   • deeply ingrained in someone
   • ingrained habit
   • ingrained belief

   Politeness was so ingrained in her that she thanked the vending machine.

   Early waking is an ingrained habit he cannot shake.

   Prejudice can be deeply ingrained in a community.

2. 2adjectivecomparable

   Pressed so deep into a surface, such as cloth or skin, that it cannot easily be removed.

   Grammar: Describes dirt or stains: ingrained dirt.

   Patterns

   • ingrained dirt
   • ingrained in the fabric

   Years of engine oil had left ingrained dirt on his hands.

   The red wine left an ingrained stain in the old carpet.

   Ingrained grime in the tiles needed a stiff brush.

Word forms

Common combinations

deeply ingrained

Their respect for tradition is deeply ingrained.

firmly ingrained

The rule is firmly ingrained in the company's culture.

ingrained habit

Biting his nails is an ingrained habit.

ingrained prejudice

The study examines ingrained prejudice in hiring.

ingrained dirt

Ingrained dirt on the floorboards took hours to scrub.

become ingrained

Good habits become ingrained through repetition.

Synonyms and how they differ

entrenched

Entrenched suggests a position or practice that resists attack, whereas ingrained suggests it is part of a person's nature.

deep-rooted

Deep-rooted is nearly the same but sounds a bit more natural when describing feelings and fears.

habitual

Habitual simply means done by habit and does not suggest the habit is deeply fixed.

inbred

Inbred means present from birth or from heredity, while ingrained can be learned.

Opposites

Word family

ingrain verb

to fix a habit or belief firmly in someone

engrain verb

a less common spelling of ingrain

grain noun

the root word, meaning the texture or direction of fibers

Commonly confused: ingrained or engrained? ingrained or in grain?

Practice

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