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 of instill

• plant
• breed
• inculcate
• embed
• root

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

Her grandfather, a Sacramento native, instilled in her early the importance of public service and a deep appreciation for their city. — Vincent Medina, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2026

The language in the state budget could instill fear in local governments of similar actions by state officials in the future, said Mary Maclean Asbill, director of the North Carolina offices at the Southern Environmental Law Center. — Charlotte Observer, 8 Sep. 2026

Nvidia's chips made GPT-6 Astra possible, while the model's success instills confidence in OpenAI's ability to make good on its custom silicon partnership with Broadcom. — Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2026

They are managed by Francesco Farioli, an up-and-coming young Italian coach who has instilled an attractive style of play and delivered their first Portuguese league title since 2022. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026

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

Rhymes for instill

• anthill
• backfill
• bluegill
• crossbill
• distil
• distill
• downhill
• dunghill
• foothill
• fulfil
• fulfill
• goodwill

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