English vocabulary · C1
Inculcate
/ˈɪn.kʌl.keɪt/ · v.
It means to teach an idea or value by saying it again and again until a person remembers it and believes it.
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Example sentences
- Parents inculcate values in children every day.
- The coach inculcated discipline by repeating the same rules.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- in — into (from Latin)
- culc — press (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- INSTILL — put slowly into the mind (Gentle & Over Time)
- TEACH — help someone learn something (Broad & General)
- DRILL — train by repeating many times (Strict & Repetitive)
Similar words
- instill
- teach
- drill
Lesson notes
Inculcate. It means to teach an idea or value by saying it again and again until a person remembers it and believes it.
Similar words are instill, teach, and drill. Use inculcate when an idea is pressed into someone's mind by repeating it.
Parents inculcate values in children every day. The coach inculcated discipline by repeating the same rules.
From Latin. In- means into. Culc- means press. Pressing something into the mind again and again — that is inculcate.