instill

verb

in·​still in-ˈstil 

instilled; instilling; instills

transitive verb

1

: to impart gradually

instilling a love of learning in children

2

: to cause to enter drop by drop

instill medication into the infected eye

instillation

ˌin(t)-stə-ˈlā-shən 

-(ˌ)sti-

noun

instiller

in-ˈsti-lər 

noun

instillment

in-ˈstil-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• breed
• enroot
• implant
• inculcate
• infix
• inseminate
• plant
• sow

Choose the Right Synonym for instill

implant, inculcate, instill, inseminate, infix mean to introduce into the mind.

implant implies teaching that makes for permanence of what is taught.

implanted a love of reading in her students

inculcate implies persistent or repeated efforts to impress on the mind.

tried to inculcate in him high moral standards

instill stresses gradual, gentle imparting of knowledge over a long period of time.

instill traditional values in your children

inseminate applies to a sowing of ideas in many minds so that they spread through a class or nation.

inseminated an unquestioning faith in technology

infix stresses firmly inculcating a habit of thought.

infixed a chronic cynicism

Examples of instill in a Sentence

a charismatic leader who instilled in his followers a passionate commitment to the cause

Recent Examples on the Web

Earnings statements from mega-hyperscales such as Alphabet’s Google and Meta also instilled confidence, as both firms committed to multi-billion dollar investments following the tech sell-off. —April Roach, CNBC, 14 Feb. 2025

For Andy, his decision to pay his sister’s rent was a natural extension of the values their late mother instilled in him. —Ashley Vega, People.com, 13 Feb. 2025

No one else could pull off a spectacle so monumental, owing in large part to the mix of loyalty, admiration, and fear Michaels has instilled throughout the ranks of Hollywood royalty. —Reeves Wiedeman, Vulture, 11 Feb. 2025

The Parrots may be young, but the senior duo understood the expectations and instilled them within the younger players, according to head coach Nathaniel Hollins, a Polytechnic alum. —Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin instillare, from in- + stillare to drip, from stilla drop

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

instill

verb

in·​still in-ˈstil 

: to gradually cause to feel or have

instill a love of music

instillation

ˌin(t)-stə-ˈlā-shən 

noun

instiller noun

Medical Definition

instill

transitive verb

in·​still in-ˈstil 

instilled; instilling

: to cause to enter especially drop by drop

instill medication into the infected eye