Ingrained-Engrained | Commonly Confused Words

Ingrained

/ɪnˈɡreɪnd/

Deeply established and difficult to change.

/ɪnˈɡreɪnd/

Deeply established or fixed in one's mind or behavior

Ingrained and engrained are variations of the same word, but ingrained is more commonly used in modern English, while engrained is an older or less common version.
If you see in, think of how the word is commonly input into sentences, being more prevalent now.
Ingrained refers to beliefs or habits that are so deeply rooted they are as if they are carved into one's mind.
Engrained can remind you of engrave, giving a hint to its older usage but ultimately meaning the same thing as ingrained.
To remember: In modern text, you will mostly see ingrained.