inculcate

verb

in·​cul·​cate in-ˈkəl-ˌkāt  ˈin-(ˌ) 

inculcated; inculcating

transitive verb

: to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions

inculcation

ˌin-(ˌ)kəl-ˈkā-shən 

noun

inculcator

in-ˈkəl-ˌkā-tər 

ˈin-(ˌ)kəl-

noun

Did you know?

Sometimes before a lesson sinks in, you’ve got to go over it in your mind for a long time. The same is true for when you want to make a path: you have to walk over it again and again. The connection between walking and learning is at the heart of inculcate, which comes from a form of the Latin verb inculcare, meaning “to tread on.” In Latin, inculcare possesses both literal and figurative meanings, referring to either the act of walking over something or to that of impressing something upon the mind, often by way of steady repetition. It is the figurative sense that survives with inculcate, which was first used in English in the 16th century. Since then, the word has kept the meaning of impressing facts, ideas, or ideals on someone through repetition. If you have trouble remembering inculcate’s definition, you may find it helpful to know that it’s a synonym of the word instill (“to impart gradually”), which shares the Latin prefix in-.

Synonyms

• endue
• indue
• imbue
• infuse
• ingrain
• engrain
• inoculate
• invest
• steep
• suffuse

Choose the Right Synonym for inculcate

implant, inculcate, instill, inseminate, infix mean to introduce into the mind.

implant implies teaching that makes for permanence of what is taught.

implanted a love of reading in her students

inculcate implies persistent or repeated efforts to impress on the mind.

tried to inculcate in him high moral standards

instill stresses gradual, gentle imparting of knowledge over a long period of time.

instill traditional values in your children

inseminate applies to a sowing of ideas in many minds so that they spread through a class or nation.

inseminated an unquestioning faith in technology

infix stresses firmly inculcating a habit of thought.

infixed a chronic cynicism

Examples of inculcate in a Sentence

The teacher inculcated in her students the importance of good study habits.

dedicated teachers inculcating young minds with a love of learning

Recent Examples on the Web

Witness, by Whittaker Chambers This 1952 memoir is still thrust in the hands of budding young conservatives, as a means of inculcating them into the movement. —Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2024

Sensing such threats, organizations are increasingly creating dedicated structures and processes to inculcate AI ethics proactively. —Swanand Deodhar, favour Borokini, ben Waber, Harvard Business Review, 5 Aug. 2024

Advocates of Maori in New Zealand and of Hawaiian have emphasized the importance of inculcating these languages in early childhood development and education as part of their successful revival. —Ross Perlin, Foreign Affairs, 23 Apr. 2024

In other words, there isn’t any sort of cultural insulation that would protect Black men from negative messages in the manosphere, and the hosts subtly use language and imagery common to Black culture to inculcate Black listeners to their views. —Steven Dashiell, The Conversation, 15 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin inculcatus, past participle of inculcare, literally, to tread on, from in- + calcare to trample, from calc-, calx heel

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

inculcate

verb

in·​cul·​cate in-ˈkəl-ˌkāt  ˈin-(ˌ)kəl- 

inculcated; inculcating

: to teach by frequent repetition

inculcated a deep sense of responsibility in their children

inculcation

ˌin-(ˌ)kəl-ˈkā-shən 

noun