deep-seated

This term describes a psychological or emotional state that has settled into the very foundation of a person's character or a society's culture. It suggests a root system that has grown so far down that superficial attempts to change the attitude or belief will fail. It is almost exclusively used for things that are internal, invisible, and enduring. While similar to ingrained, deep-seated often carries a heavier emotional weight, frequently appearing in discussions of trauma, prejudice, or ancestral beliefs. It implies a sense of permanence that is often unconscious, where the subject may not even realize why they feel a certain way, only that the feeling is immovable.