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
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
Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026
Witherspoon embodies so many elements of the culture that coach Mike Macdonald has instilled in Seattle.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2025
Her parents instilled in her the importance of understanding her background, which is something the couple is passing along to their children.
—Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE, 21 Dec. 2025
East German bitterness contributes to the AfD tally, as does the fact that decades of Soviet rule never instilled in East Germans a sense of responsibility for Hitler’s crimes.
—Trudy Rubin, Mercury News, 20 Dec. 2025
My mother instilled in me the importance of knowing the Shabbat prayers.
—Lea Donenberg, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2025
Kamp instilled in Rensch that chess was his life’s purpose, separating him from his mother at the age of 14 in the pursuit of greatness.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 14 Dec. 2025
From 2002 to 2010, the music mogul instilled fear in wannabe music stars with his blunt commentary.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Dec. 2025
As the playoffs loom, Bibbs said the team will trust the culture that Sam has instilled in them.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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
Verb
But Lee’s parents, both lawyers in Toronto, instilled the value of education.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Jan. 2026
Witherspoon embodies so many elements of the culture that coach Mike Macdonald has instilled in Seattle.
—Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2025
Her parents instilled in her the importance of understanding her background, which is something the couple is passing along to their children.
—Sophie Dodd, PEOPLE, 21 Dec. 2025
East German bitterness contributes to the AfD tally, as does the fact that decades of Soviet rule never instilled in East Germans a sense of responsibility for Hitler’s crimes.
—Trudy Rubin, Mercury News, 20 Dec. 2025
My mother instilled in me the importance of knowing the Shabbat prayers.
—Lea Donenberg, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2025
Kamp instilled in Rensch that chess was his life’s purpose, separating him from his mother at the age of 14 in the pursuit of greatness.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 14 Dec. 2025
From 2002 to 2010, the music mogul instilled fear in wannabe music stars with his blunt commentary.
—Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Dec. 2025
As the playoffs loom, Bibbs said the team will trust the culture that Sam has instilled in them.
—Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instilled
Verb
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Cannabis is no longer on the fringe but firmly planted at the heart of wellness innovation.—
Amplified Content Studio,
Mercury News,
15 Jan. 2026
-
These wooden party places grace the bay, with stilts planted in the bottom.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The team also acknowledges the possibility that birds from surrounding wildland populations may have moved into the now-quieter city and bred with urban juncos.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, birds cannot be taken from the wild and only falcons bred in captivity can be traded.—
Will Barker,
TheWeek,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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There is wide speculation that people will come to embrace new ways to interact with AI, including through new types of wearable or embedded devices.—
Jeff John Roberts,
Fortune,
17 Dec. 2025
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His defeat of 82-year-old Harrison Ford crystallized the Academy’s wholesale rejection of celebrity currency in favor of embedded, touching work.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Iran is a theocratic republic rooted ideologically in Shiite Islam while Venezuela is a socialist and secular regime.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
7 Jan. 2026
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These institutions are rooted here because Illinois and Chicago are integral to their brand, talent pipeline and mission.—
Andy Shaw,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Leaving the door closed for around another five minutes allows the steam to circulate and loosen ingrained grime on the interior surfaces of your microwave.—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
10 Jan. 2026
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The dysfunction of the franchise from ownership down is so ingrained that Saleh’s 20-36 record from 2021 and into 2024 isn’t likely to be held against him.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Notably, said Kriner, individuals who are inculcated with a sense of nihilism do not commit crimes to achieve an ideological goal.—
Odette Yousef,
NPR,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The risks inherent in the LBO structure are exacerbated by the amount of debt PSKY must incur, its current financial position and future prospects, as well as the lengthy period to close the transaction – which PSKY itself estimates to be 12-18 months following signing.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
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Seen through this lens, every person possesses inherent dignity and value.—
James O. Cunningham,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Male pythons are implanted with radio transmitters and then tracked to better understand their movements, reproductive behaviors and other key characteristics.—
Sonia Osorio,
Miami Herald,
31 Dec. 2025
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The chip will be wirelessly connected to an external video camera and implanted into the brain’s visual cortex.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
31 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Instilled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instilled. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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