instill

verb

in·​still in-ˈstil How to pronounce instill (audio)
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 noun
instiller noun
instillment noun
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As the founder and CEO of World Trade Resource (WTR), Branch has dedicated his career to helping organizations enhance performance by instilling cultural intelligence. Chris Gallagher, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025 The Association of American Law Schools (AALS), which is a learned society of more than 175 law schools nationwide, has as one of its core values for membership dedication to instilling in law students the obligation to respect the rule of law. Blake D. Morant, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 Still, the article instilled an unease that only grew with time. Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 3 Apr. 2025 Working with Ryan on Fruitvale Station—his first time leading a feature film—instilled a level of trust that would become a compass for everything that followed. Essence, 2 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for instill

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of instill was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Instill.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instill. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

instill

verb
in·​still in-ˈstil How to pronounce instill (audio)
: to gradually cause to feel or have
instill a love of music
instillation noun
instiller noun

Medical Definition

instill

transitive verb
in·​still in-ˈstil How to pronounce instill (audio)
instilled; instilling
: to cause to enter especially drop by drop
instill medication into the infected eye

More from Merriam-Webster on instill

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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