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
Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 14 May 2026
The discipline and work ethic of her father and the reinvention into the labor market by her mother instilled in her an early awareness that success isn't defined by titles alone.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 May 2026
Yet even today, the grit and determination Dede instilled in her son hasn’t left her.
—Gigi Zamora, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
This instilled in me a deep sense of justice and ultimately manifested into my nearly fourteen-year nonprofit career.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 8 May 2026
Born May 4, 1930, in Clayton, Alabama, Katherine raised 10 children in a two-bedroom house in Gary, Indiana, and instilled in them a deep sense of faith, resilience, and work ethic long before global fame.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 4 May 2026
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
My father always instilled a great deal of empathy in me.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 16 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
Wednesday’s performance from junior right-hander Evan Wilson and the defense further instilled much of that same confidence.
—Tom Mulherin, Boston Herald, 14 May 2026
The discipline and work ethic of her father and the reinvention into the labor market by her mother instilled in her an early awareness that success isn't defined by titles alone.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 11 May 2026
Yet even today, the grit and determination Dede instilled in her son hasn’t left her.
—Gigi Zamora, Forbes.com, 10 May 2026
This instilled in me a deep sense of justice and ultimately manifested into my nearly fourteen-year nonprofit career.
—Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 8 May 2026
Born May 4, 1930, in Clayton, Alabama, Katherine raised 10 children in a two-bedroom house in Gary, Indiana, and instilled in them a deep sense of faith, resilience, and work ethic long before global fame.
—Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 4 May 2026
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
My father always instilled a great deal of empathy in me.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instilled
Verb
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Meanwhile, a grove of redwood trees (planted by the property’s former owner, Martha Stewart) gives the grounds a sense of grandeur.—
Elise Taylor,
Vogue,
14 May 2026
-
Sadly, Maui Gold is now the last pineapple farm standing on the island, down to 750 acres (300 of them planted), with just 20 people working the farm.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
14 May 2026
Verb
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But unlike their relatives, SunPatiens were bred to grow in full sun and hot temperatures.—
Nellah Bailey McGough,
Southern Living,
12 May 2026
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Lots of that will be the confidence bred by McLaren’s success in 2024 and 2025.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
The fake court language, the formal tone and the embedded QR code all contribute to an experience designed to short-circuit your skepticism.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
4 May 2026
-
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
Verb
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Taty Castellanos stood still as if rooted to the turf, looking high into the away end.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
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Of the 26 acres of Chardonnay, nine are own rooted as opposed to grafted, which Large points out is unusual in the region.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
17 May 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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Preborn children are human beings with inherent rights, dignity and worth that no contract should supersede.—
Kimberly Bird,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 May 2026
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All three of those reasons for CEO terminations describe leaders who couldn't commit, make tough calls, or grapple with the ambiguity inherent in most executive decisions.—
Mark Murphy,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Verb
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The team later implanted CaroFlex into rats and monitored blood pressure changes during short stimulation sessions.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
15 May 2026
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On April 21, 2025, TJ had a Left Ventricular Assist (LVAD) device surgically implanted to help his heart pump blood throughout his body.—
Wendy Grossman Kantor,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instilled. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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