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as in to plant
to set permanently in the consciousness or mind-set a malcontent who inculcated in his offspring an abiding distrust of all civil authority

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb inculcate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of inculcate are implant, infix, inseminate, and instill. While all these words mean "to introduce into the mind," inculcate implies persistent or repeated efforts to impress on the mind.

tried to inculcate in him high moral standards

Where would implant be a reasonable alternative to inculcate?

While the synonyms implant and inculcate are close in meaning, implant implies teaching that makes for permanence of what is taught.

implanted a love of reading in her students

In what contexts can infix take the place of inculcate?

In some situations, the words infix and inculcate are roughly equivalent. However, infix stresses firmly inculcating a habit of thought.

infixed a chronic cynicism

When is it sensible to use inseminate instead of inculcate?

The meanings of inseminate and inculcate largely overlap; however, 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

When might instill be a better fit than inculcate?

The words instill and inculcate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, instill stresses gradual, gentle imparting of knowledge over a long period of time.

instill traditional values in your children

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of inculcate Nothing left to do but build and inculcate my fantastical atoms, unable to catch a break. Hazlitt, 15 May 2025 Roth said employees at the charity would have to be expressing and inculcating religious doctrine, such as requiring participation in a prayer before a meal is served at a soup kitchen. Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025 This is a unique public-private partnership effort which involves conservation organizations such as the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to inculcate environmental education across the country. Saleem H. Ali, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024 Abe was part of a conservative faction of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and known for his association with Nippon Kaigi, an influential conservative organization that among other goals advocated teaching Japanese history to inculcate national pride. Jennifer Lind, Foreign Affairs, 12 July 2022 See All Example Sentences for inculcate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inculcate
Verb
  • The film certainly steers clear of Emmerichian overdrive, but it is suffused with hopelessness — on both an intimate and an epic scale.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
  • But the hot gas that suffused the space between the galaxies in each cluster would have crashed head-on.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Rat-Repelling Plants Certain flowers and plants repel pests, so consider adding some to your yard.
    Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Sep. 2025
  • With their strong lines and solid structure, fences are just begging to be planted with vines and other climbing plants.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Rounding out the barbecue bowls is a set of 10 sauces that imbue various flavors and spice into the dish, including sugar water, lemon juice, oyster sauce, hot chili oil and Li’s house sauce.
    Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 25 Sep. 2025
  • Following their success came a sophomore line filled with international influences—African textiles, midcentury-style seating, and textural sconces imbued with Parisian flair.
    Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Roland Emmerich became Hollywood’s king of disaster in the 1990s — mainly by cross-breeding the genre with alien and monster pictures, like Independence Day and Godzilla.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
  • When these chickens breed, their offspring could produce eggs and sperm carrying dodo traits.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Dove knows a thing or two about infusing yummy aromas into moisturizing products.
    Staff Author, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
  • The bond is infused with biotin to nourish while gripping lash clusters securely, and the seal is enriched with vitamin E to eliminate tacky residue and keep everything looking seamless.
    Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Avigail Lev, the founder and director at Bay Area CBT Center, notes some of the ways these lessons get instilled through parenting.
    Alex Shoemaker, Parents, 26 Sep. 2025
  • In addition to passing on her star presence, Kay also instilled the importance of positive thinking in her brood.
    Andrea Mandell, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Anne Morrow Lindbergh embeds wisdom and meditations on age, love, peace, solitude and fulfillment within the relaxing, picturesque setting of the sea.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Leaping boldly is as embedded in Hoda Kotb’s DNA as smiling, loving music and wearing stacks of friendship bracelets.
    Erin Jensen, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Every Democrat voted against rooting that out.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Sep. 2025
  • However, fall planting is not recommended for certain types of tender perennials that are easily damaged by cold and require a long period of frost-free weather to root.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Inculcate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inculcate. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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