Meaning
Ingrain has two main uses:
- Verb: To firmly fix an idea, habit, or attitude in a person’s mind so that it becomes difficult to change.
- Adjective: Describes something deeply rooted, natural, or permanent, often used for beliefs, habits, or qualities.
Grammar and Usage
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Verb (transitive): ingrain sth in/into sb/sth → to instill or implant deeply.
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Adjective: Often used before nouns like belief, habit, attitude, prejudice, culture.
Examples:
- The teacher ingrained discipline in her students. (verb)
- He has an ingrained respect for tradition. (adjective)
Common Phrases
- Ingrain a habit
- Ingrain an attitude
- Ingrain prejudice
- Ingrained belief
Collocations
- Verb + ingrain: deeply ingrain, permanently ingrain, culturally ingrain
- Adjective usage: ingrained habit, ingrained prejudice, ingrained tradition
Examples
- The values were ingrained in him from childhood.
- The company culture ingrains teamwork into every employee.
- Prejudices can be deeply ingrained in society.
- Her ingrained habits made it difficult to adapt to the new environment.
- Respect for elders is ingrained in many cultures.
- The training ingrained a sense of responsibility in the soldiers.
- He has an ingrained belief that honesty always pays off.
- The coach ingrained discipline into the players.
Synonyms or Related
- implant
- instill
- embed
- entrench
- root
- establish
Antonym
- erase
- uproot
- remove
- eliminate