ingrained
Americanadjective
-
firmly fixed; deep-rooted; inveterate.
ingrained superstition.
-
wrought into or through the grain or fiber.
adjective
-
deeply impressed or instilled
his fears are deeply ingrained
-
(prenominal) complete or inveterate; utter
an ingrained fool
-
(esp of dirt) worked into or through the fibre, grain, pores, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of ingrained
Explanation
Use the adjective ingrained to describe the strong beliefs of someone who has thought that way for a very long time, such as the ingrained patriotism of a 20-year military veteran. Ingrained comes from the word grain, which in late Middle English referred to a certain kind of dye. This type of dye was indelible — unable to be removed — much like ingrained beliefs that are so firmly fixed that they'll never change.
Vocabulary lists containing ingrained
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Bless Me, Ultima
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Vocabulary from texts about Colin Powell
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“It’s hard because the World Cup and soccer is very ingrained culturally within Latinos and the people of Los Angeles that it feels hard to celebrate it,” said Martinez.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
The facility’s extended closure was widely seen as a reflection of the authorities’ extreme aversion to risk in Kuwait, where uncertainty and instability became ingrained following the 1990 Iraqi invasion.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
Those words, she said, were ingrained in her mind.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
Ellwood's memoir, published in 1714, shows how deeply ingrained these norms were.
From Science Daily • May 7, 2026
Even as the behaviors were becoming ingrained, many drivers thought it was dangerous and stupid.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
