instill

verb in·still \ in-ˈstil \

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

transitive verb

1 : to cause to enter drop by drop

instill medication into the infected eye

2 : to impart gradually

instilling a love of learning in children

—

instillation

play \ˌin(t)-stə-ˈlā-shən, -(ˌ)sti-\ noun

—

instiller

play \in-ˈsti-lər\ noun

—

instillment

play \in-ˈstil-mənt\ noun

See instill defined for English-language learners

See instill defined for kids

Examples of instill in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of instill from the Web

Her boards are great for any food lover trying to instill their kids with the same appreciation for cooking and healthy eating.

— christine byrne, SELF, "15 of the Best Healthy Food Bloggers to Follow on Pinterest," 11 Apr. 2018
Kelly was initially expected to quiet a chaotic West Wing by instilling order and restraining an impulsive President.

— kevin liptak, CNN, "Kelly cedes control to new faces amid latest Trump tumult," 11 Apr. 2018
Knox, Jones and Bandele aren’t simply community activists trying to instill hope and confidence into a seemingly downtrodden town.

— michael harriot, The Root, "America Did This: An Open Letter to Memphis, Tenn.," 4 Apr. 2018
The fortress mentality that Mr Putin has fostered has instilled feelings of jealousy, resentment and victimisation.

— The Economist, "The struggle for Russia is just beginning," 22 Mar. 2018
John Sandweg, an acting ICE director under Obama, said significant fines instilled fear in employers and draining resources from other enforcement priorities.

— CBS News, "ICE agents descend on dozens of 7-Eleven stores in immigration operation," 10 Jan. 2018
Eliza: My parents did not instill healthy risk management in me as a child.

— eliza brooke, The Verge, "Instagram on desktop is better than mobile, change my mind," 23 Mar. 2018
His father, Frank, was a longtime college football coach who had stops at a pair of Ivy League schools and instilled in his eight children a strong work ethic, according to a source close to the Navarro family.

— joseph person, katherine peralta and rick rothacker, charlotteobserver, "Billionaire’s row: A deep look at the potential bidders for the Carolina Panthers | Charlotte Observer," 16 Mar. 2018
Besides practice, responsibility is also instilled in the seventh grader.

— karen pilarski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "With an eye toward the Olympics one day, this Brookfield boy, 12, made a luge track in his basement," 13 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'instill.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of instill

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

instill Synonyms

Synonyms

breed, enroot, implant, inculcate, infix, inseminate, plant, sow;

Related Words

drive, hammer, pound;

embed (also imbed), entrench (also intrench), fix, lodge, root;

imbue, infuse, ingrain (also engrain), inoculate, invest, steep, suffuse;

Synonym Discussion of 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

INSTILL Defined for English Language Learners

instill

verb

: to gradually cause someone to have (an attitude, feeling, etc.)

INSTILL Defined for Kids

instill

verb in·still \ in-ˈstil \

instilled; instilling

: to put into the mind little by little

Patience with the ways of nature had been instilled in her by her father.
—Jean Craighead George, Julie of the Wolves

Medical Dictionary

instill

transitive verb in·still \ in-ˈstil \

instilled; instilling

: to cause to enter especially drop by drop

instill medication into the infected eye

Learn More about instill

See words that rhyme with instill Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for instill Spanish Central: Translation of instill Nglish: Translation of instill for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of instill for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up instill? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

instill

instillation

instiller

instillment

Examples of instill in a Sentence

Recent Examples of instill from the Web

Origin and Etymology of instill

instill Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Synonym Discussion of instill

INSTILL Defined for English Language Learners

instill

INSTILL Defined for Kids

instill

Medical Dictionary

instill

Learn More about instill

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Trending: Janelle Monáe Out as 'Pansexual'

All the Hits

The Fossil Encased in "Case In Point"

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes