adjective

ingrained

in-GRAYND/ɪnˈɡreɪnd/

Deeply embedded and difficult to change or remove.

His practiced movement reflects an ingrained habit of checking the keys.

An older man automatically checking his keys in the same worn dish by the door, established routine conveyed by polished worn place and practiced gesture, no writing.

Etymology

inFrenchin

+grainFrenchseed; red insect dye

+edEnglishhaving undergone an action

Literally “dyed with grain,” the red insect dye, ingrained evokes fabric with firmly fixed color. Applied to habits or principles, it came to mean thoroughly imbued with something, hence deeply established and difficult to change.

In context

misesmedia0:29

these assumptions are so ingrained in the conversation that even opponents of green policies often base their arguments on them

Why Almost Everyone Who Talks about Energy Is Wrong

More examples

Years of practice made the routine ingrained.
The cloth held ingrained dirt.
She challenged an ingrained assumption.

Forms

ingrained · more ingrained · most ingrained

Similar words

entrenched: Entrenched means firmly established; ingrained can concern habits, assumptions, or embedded dirt.
embedded: Embedded means fixed within something; ingrained emphasizes depth and difficulty of removal.