INGRAIN Synonyms: 125 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

ingrain 1 of 2

verb

(ˌ)in-ˈgrān

variants also engrain

Definition of ingrain next

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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as in to entrench

to set solidly in or as if in surrounding matter tried to ingrain traditional values in their children

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of ingrain

Verb

The Eagles are as ingrained in Philadelphia as the city's signature sandwich. —

Peter Burke, Fox News, 15 Dec. 2024 Its characters, dialogue and imagery are ingrained in the minds of an entire generation of Americans. —

Tom Tapp, Deadline, 17 Dec. 2024 The Mexican American designer, who grew up in the small city of Huron in California’s San Joaquin Valley, has always had the Mexican working class spirit ingrained in his ethos thanks to his parents, who originate from both Mexican and Irish descent. —

Jean E. Palmieri, WWD, 16 Dec. 2024 If these factors are ingrained in the company culture or your role, leaving might be the best option for preserving your mental and physical health. —

Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for ingrain

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingrain

Verb

This preoccupation misses the elephant in the room: the disintegration or collapse of the Black family, the prime engine for inculcating behavioral norms indispensable to success.

— Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 23 Jan. 2025
Lammy’s education inculcated in him the rituals and expectations of the British establishment.

— Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2025