Ingrained
/ɪnˈɡreɪnd/
adjectiveB2
Definition
Ingrained describes ideas, habits, or feelings that have become a deep and permanent part of someone or something. These are usually learned or developed over a long time and are difficult to change because they are so firmly established.
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See It in Action
Deeply fixed habit, belief, or feeling
- •His ingrained fear of dogs made it hard for him to visit the park.
- •The habit of checking her phone first thing in the morning was ingrained after many years.
- •Respect for elders is ingrained in their culture.
Firmly established in a thing or place (less common)
- •The stain was ingrained in the fabric and could not be removed.
- •The old paint was ingrained in the wood after decades.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "ingrained" like "deep" but for ideas or habits, not just places or objects
- ✓Picture a tree’s roots going deep into the ground, holding it firmly in place and hard to pull out
- ✓It’s the feeling when you have done something many times so it feels natural and automatic, like brushing your teeth every morning
- ✓Sounds like "in-GRAINED" → imagine grains of sand stuck inside a cloth so tightly they don’t come off easily
- ✓Think of a family tradition that everyone follows because it has been done for many years, almost like it is part of who they are
- ✓NOT like "new" or "temporary" which can change quickly—ingrained means lasting and strong
- ✓NOT like "learned quickly" but "learned slowly and deeply over time"
- ✓NOT like "surface" or "shallow" ideas, but very deep inside the person or thing
Try Other Words
- •Rooted: fixed firmly in place or in mind (Use when emphasizing origin or beginning of a habit or belief)
- •Established: accepted and fixed over time (Use when talking about ideas or habits that have been accepted for a long time)
- •Fixed: not changing or moving (Use when focusing on something stable and permanent)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "in-" meaning "into" or "within"
- •Root: "grain" meaning a small hard particle like a seed or sand grain
- •Suffix: "-ed" forming an adjective describing a state or condition
- •Etymology: From the idea of grains (small particles) being firmly set inside something, like dirt in cloth or wood
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s to describe things deeply fixed inside, especially habits or character traits
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe habits, beliefs, or feelings that are very hard to change because they are deeply part of someone or something
Reflect & Connect
•What are some ingrained habits or beliefs you have that you learned from your family or culture?
•How can someone change an ingrained habit, and why is it often difficult?
Fill in the blanks
1.His fear of public speaking was so ingrained that he felt ___ even when practicing alone.
2.Ingrained habits usually develop ___ over a long time, not suddenly.
3.Unlike a new idea, an ingrained belief is ___ to change or remove.
4.When someone says a behavior is ingrained, they mean it is very ___ and part of their daily life.
5.The phrase "ingrained in the culture" means the idea is accepted ___ by many people over years.
6.Ingrained habits often ___ automatic actions without thinking.
7.If a stain is ingrained in fabric, it is ___ to clean with normal washing.