The word “ingrained” describes something deeply established or firmly fixed, often referring to habits, beliefs, values, or behaviors that have become an integral part of a person, group, or system. When something is ingrained, it is so embedded that it seems nearly impossible to change or remove. For instance, cultural traditions may become ingrained over generations, shaping the way people think and behave. Similarly, an ingrained habit—like waking up early or procrastinating—may take significant effort to alter because it has become automatic. In psychology, deeply ingrained beliefs can influence an individual’s worldview and reactions to life events. These beliefs or patterns often stem from early life experiences, repeated actions, or societal conditioning. In organizations, practices and policies may become ingrained over time, shaping the culture of the workplace. While positive ingrained behaviors, like discipline or politeness, can contribute to personal growth, negative ones, like prejudice or poor habits, can be difficult to uproot. Overcoming something ingrained often requires self-awareness, persistence, and time. Whether discussing personal tendencies, societal norms, or cultural practices, the term ingrained highlights the depth of something’s influence and the challenge of transforming it.
Sample Sentences
- Her love for reading was ingrained from childhood, thanks to her parents’ encouragement.
- The idea of hard work is so deeply ingrained in their culture that laziness is frowned upon.
- Years of ingrained habits made it difficult for him to change his unhealthy eating patterns.
- Ingrained biases can often go unnoticed but continue to influence people’s decisions.
- Honesty was an ingrained value in their family, passed down through generations.
- Despite new policies, some ingrained practices within the company were hard to eliminate.
- His fear of public speaking was ingrained after a traumatic experience during his school days.
- The teacher worked hard to replace the children’s ingrained misconceptions with accurate knowledge.
- Over time, the soldier’s ingrained sense of discipline became a natural part of his character.
- It took years of therapy to address the deeply ingrained trauma she carried from her childhood.
Synonyms for “Ingrained”
Antonyms for “Ingrained”
Related Words and Expressions
Related Words:
- Rooted
- Established
- Deep-seated
- Naturalized
- Habitual
- Embedded
- Settled
- Indoctrinated
- Persistent
- Conditioned
Phrasal Verbs:
- Grow out of (to remove or move past something deeply ingrained over time)
- Hold on to (to cling to a firmly established belief or habit)
- Stick with (to continue with something ingrained, such as a habit)
- Work through (to address and attempt to change an ingrained belief or behavior)
- Drill into (to instill something deeply into a person or system over time)
Idiomatic Expressions:
- Old habits die hard (ingrained habits are difficult to change or break)
- Set in stone (something so firmly established that it seems unchangeable)
- Born and bred (reflecting values or traits that are ingrained from upbringing)
- Hardwired into (to describe something naturally ingrained or instinctive)
- Leave a mark (to describe something that becomes permanently ingrained in one’s memory or behavior)
