ingrained

American  

[in-greynd, in-greynd] / ɪnˈgreɪnd, ˈɪnˌgreɪnd /

adjective

1. firmly fixed; deep-rooted; inveterate.

   ingrained superstition.

2. wrought into or through the grain or fiber.

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ingrained British  

/ ɪnˈɡreɪnd, ɪnˈɡreɪnɪdlɪ /

adjective

1. deeply impressed or instilled

   his fears are deeply ingrained

2. (prenominal) complete or inveterate; utter

   an ingrained fool

3. (esp of dirt) worked into or through the fibre, grain, pores, etc

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Other Word Forms

• ingrainedly adverb
• ingrainedness noun
• uningrained adjective

Etymology

Origin of ingrained

First recorded in 1590–1600; ingrain + -ed ²

Example Sentences

A vicious cycle has become ingrained - a deprived area to which poor people are sent, or find their way to through circumstance, rather than choice.

From BBC

In compulsive behaviors such as repeated handwashing or playing poker machines, the prevailing theory has been that these actions become deeply ingrained habits.

From Science Daily

Researchers believe that, under medical supervision, these substances can temporarily shift brain activity in ways that encourage the recall of positive memories and weaken deeply ingrained negative thought patterns.

From Science Daily

That means contending with German society’s deeply ingrained pacificism, a legacy of ruinous wars and the horrors of the Holocaust.

From The Wall Street Journal

Money saving is already ingrained at home, with batch cooking, more prudent selections on the thermostat, and warming the body rather than the whole home having become the norm for many people.

From BBC

Related Words

• deep-seated
• fixed
• implanted
• inbred
• inherent
• innate
• intrinsic
• rooted