ingrain in

[/ɪnˈɡreɪn ɪn/]
phrasal verb
inculcar em; enraizar em; fixar profundamente em
1. To establish a habit, belief, or characteristic so deeply in someone's mind or character that it becomes a permanent part of them
Good manners should be ingrained in children from an early age.
Boas maneiras devem ser inculcadas nas crianças desde cedo.
2. To make something an integral or inseparable part of something else
The company's values are ingrained in its corporate culture.
Os valores da empresa estão enraizados em sua cultura corporativa.
3. To impress or fix firmly in the mind or memory
The lesson was ingrained in his memory forever.
A lição ficou gravada em sua memória para sempre.
This expression is widely used in both American English and Brazilian Portuguese educational and parenting contexts. In Brazil, 'inculcar' is particularly common in formal educational discourse, while 'enraizar' emphasizes the deep, cultural nature of the belief or habit. The concept reflects both cultures' emphasis on the formation of character and values from childhood.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
instill inimplant inembed inroot inestablish infix inimprint on
Antonyms / Antônimos
eradicate fromremove fromuproot fromeliminate from

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
inculcar em; enraizar em
Most commonly used in formal and informal contexts
Rio de Janeiro
enraizar em; fixar em
Common in everyday speech and education
São Paulo
inculcar em; imprimir em
Frequently used in business and academic settings
Portugal
incutir em; arraizar em
European Portuguese tends to use 'incutir' more frequently

Related Words

ingrainedingrainhabitinstillimplantembedcultivate

Related Idioms & Phrases

ingrained habit
deeply ingrained
ingrained belief
ingrained values
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