as in inculcated
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as in planted
to set permanently in the consciousness or mind-set
a charismatic leader who instilled in his followers a passionate commitment to the cause
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Recent Examples of instilled
William Jones, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
But watching Micah Ski definitely just instilled in this deep drive to not be a skier.
—Outside Online, 28 Jan. 2026
Pilar, a former Ford Agency model and actress, instilled confidence and poise in her kids from an early age.
—Nasha Smith, PEOPLE, 23 Nov. 2025
Michelle reflected on how both of her parents instilled confidence in her from a young age which unquestionably informs her style sensibility to date.
—Essence, 7 Nov. 2025
His mother—central in shaping his early confidence—instilled in him a kind of resilience that would later fuel his global ambitions.
—Janee Bolden, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Maye was efficient, didn’t turn the ball over, made plays with his arm and his legs, instilled confidence in his teammates and, most importantly, came away with a 33-27 win in Week 2.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Farming and fishing are the islands’ economic drivers, and the urge to leave is so deeply instilled that the diaspora—spread across the United States, Canada, Brazil, and beyond—is estimated to be six times larger than the population of the islands, a mere 244,000 people (and steadily shrinking).
—Philip Sherburne, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2024
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
His father was active in the local synagogue, and Rosenwald himself received a Jewish education that some scholars say instilled the idea of tzedakah as obligation rather than optional charity.
—Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
These cannot be instilled via a machine.
—Catherine Thorbecke, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026
Her penchant for shirting is, by all accounts, a natural one, passed down by her father and grandfather—both bespoke tailors who instilled in her an exacting eye for quality and execution.
—Talia Abbas, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2026
My father always instilled a great deal of empathy in me.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
But the issue has already instilled panic in some families who now refuse to allow their children to be treated with fluoride in dentist offices.
—Kaan Ozcan, NBC news, 13 Apr. 2026
This instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility that every investment should be rooted in results, and progress should be tangible.
—Samuel Mueller, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Building on Ikeno and Davies’ mention of Japan’s agrarian past in their cultural study, Hayama explained to me how this instilled a sense of quiet determination amidst struggles.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Mika’s mother - a CPA, professor, and philanthropist - instilled in her an early understanding of legacy as something actively lived and carefully protected.
—William Jones, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
But watching Micah Ski definitely just instilled in this deep drive to not be a skier.
—Outside Online, 28 Jan. 2026
Pilar, a former Ford Agency model and actress, instilled confidence and poise in her kids from an early age.
—Nasha Smith, PEOPLE, 23 Nov. 2025
Michelle reflected on how both of her parents instilled confidence in her from a young age which unquestionably informs her style sensibility to date.
—Essence, 7 Nov. 2025
His mother—central in shaping his early confidence—instilled in him a kind of resilience that would later fuel his global ambitions.
—Janee Bolden, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
Maye was efficient, didn’t turn the ball over, made plays with his arm and his legs, instilled confidence in his teammates and, most importantly, came away with a 33-27 win in Week 2.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 14 Sep. 2025
Farming and fishing are the islands’ economic drivers, and the urge to leave is so deeply instilled that the diaspora—spread across the United States, Canada, Brazil, and beyond—is estimated to be six times larger than the population of the islands, a mere 244,000 people (and steadily shrinking).
—Philip Sherburne, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Aug. 2024
Verb
That’s the mentality instilled in the top players the Hurricanes have churned out under Cristobal.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
His father was active in the local synagogue, and Rosenwald himself received a Jewish education that some scholars say instilled the idea of tzedakah as obligation rather than optional charity.
—Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 20 Apr. 2026
These cannot be instilled via a machine.
—Catherine Thorbecke, Boston Herald, 18 Apr. 2026
Her penchant for shirting is, by all accounts, a natural one, passed down by her father and grandfather—both bespoke tailors who instilled in her an exacting eye for quality and execution.
—Talia Abbas, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2026
My father always instilled a great deal of empathy in me.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
But the issue has already instilled panic in some families who now refuse to allow their children to be treated with fluoride in dentist offices.
—Kaan Ozcan, NBC news, 13 Apr. 2026
This instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility that every investment should be rooted in results, and progress should be tangible.
—Samuel Mueller, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Building on Ikeno and Davies’ mention of Japan’s agrarian past in their cultural study, Hayama explained to me how this instilled a sense of quiet determination amidst struggles.
—Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 9 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instilled
Verb
-
In effect, the seeds of the Main Battle Tank would be planted.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
-
The resulting plants produce fruit whose triploid seeds are then planted to yield seedless watermelons.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Some varieties, like ‘Tumbling Tom’ have a cascading habit while others, including ‘Tiny Tim’ have been bred specifically for growing in containers.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Green hydrangeas are seen on varieties that have been bred for green color, such as Invincible Sublime, a mophead type.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Native culture is an imbedded fact of Minnesota’s history and now the Indian – a brave, a scout, God forbid somebody’s friend — is gone from the flag.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
2 May 2026
-
New orders for the specialized and embedded chips that NXP and its peers make—not to be confused with the high-performance AI silicon that gets all the news headlines—are finally rising after a long slump going all the way back to the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But Democrats' message has to be rooted and grounded in reality.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
-
Instead, their exchanges are rooted in something far more meaningful.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
Adjective
-
Has this behavior become so ingrained in our culture that it is accepted normalcy?—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 May 2026
-
The result was that, unlike novels and plays, movies became more or less synonymous with bowdlerizations so ingrained and so drastic that even most ostensible masterworks of realism come off like Candyland to viewers unindoctrinated by studio standards.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Patriotism is a value that an IP-dependent tech company fighting Chinese rivals might well be happy to see inculcated in its employees.—
Walter Russell Mead,
The Atlantic,
24 Jan. 2026
-
That’s true for Tamma in a different way – it’s inculcated in Tamma that no one will help her but that’s not true.—
Stuart Miller,
Oc Register,
20 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The aircraft also benefits from being easier to upgrade over time, thanks to its inherent modular design.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
3 May 2026
-
Critics may suggest that licenses for tradeworkers like electricians are still necessary given the dangers inherent to construction.—
Maxwell Harden,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Verb
-
Lift the sparkly transparent toilet-seat lid implanted with syringes and prescription pills.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
The resulting embryo is set to be implanted in a southern white rhino surrogate, Discover Magazine reported.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instilled. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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