as in planting
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 instilling
Carson noted the importance of instilling the belief of American exceptionalism in children.
—
Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
McGonigle, by the way, grew up in Pennsylvania with his dad instilling hitting lessons derived from watching Tony Gwynn.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
The agents and officers aren’t trained in airport security, and critics say the armed officers are instilling fear in American travelers.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
Watching players grow, instilling confidence, laughing and, of course, winning with them, is still important for Auriemmma, who with Dailey by his side is in the stretch run of his 41st season and about to turn 72.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
That focusing on strengths, such as literature, humor, music and resilience, is a way of instilling confidence, honor and hope for the future, especially in impressionable youth.
—David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Half of that is instilling that attack mentality.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Thank you to my musical theatre teachers for instilling this in me, and for the years of tough love.
—Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
My dad’s strong work ethic and study skills were inevitably passed down to my siblings, instilling in us a belief that good grades were non-negotiable.
—Pamela Brill, Parents, 3 Mar. 2026
Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
McGonigle, by the way, grew up in Pennsylvania with his dad instilling hitting lessons derived from watching Tony Gwynn.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
The agents and officers aren’t trained in airport security, and critics say the armed officers are instilling fear in American travelers.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 24 Mar. 2026
Watching players grow, instilling confidence, laughing and, of course, winning with them, is still important for Auriemmma, who with Dailey by his side is in the stretch run of his 41st season and about to turn 72.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
That focusing on strengths, such as literature, humor, music and resilience, is a way of instilling confidence, honor and hope for the future, especially in impressionable youth.
—David McGrath, Chicago Tribune, 13 Mar. 2026
Half of that is instilling that attack mentality.
—Tim Britton, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Thank you to my musical theatre teachers for instilling this in me, and for the years of tough love.
—Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
My dad’s strong work ethic and study skills were inevitably passed down to my siblings, instilling in us a belief that good grades were non-negotiable.
—Pamela Brill, Parents, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instilling
Verb
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If planting more than one dragon fruit, space them at least 6 feet apart.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
12 Apr. 2026
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The kids were taking part in learning about birds, their environments, and planting trees that will help the birds have food and shelter.—
Patrick Damp,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Giant pandas reach adulthood and begin breeding between ages 5 and 7, with females maturing faster than males.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
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Penguins that are not breeding can stay in the water for more than 150 hours at a time.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Vagus nerve stimulation for epilepsy and depression generally involves implanting an electrical stimulator in the left side of a patient’s chest, where the vagus nerve passes.—
Elizabeth Riley,
The Conversation,
26 Mar. 2026
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Attorney Ben Ikuta claims that Acacio continued to perform medical procedures on patients while his license was suspended, including performing transfers and implanting embryos.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The documentary follows Christine Marie, a former fundamentalist who became an expert in cults, and her husband, Tolga Katas, embedding themselves among the Samuelite Group with the hopes of garnering evidence to bring to the police.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
10 Apr. 2026
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Access to fuel, machinery and transportation routes often requires payments in gold to authorities or armed networks, embedding illicit production in the supply chain.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instilling. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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