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
The players credit him with instilling a tougher, more resilient mindset.
—
Jim Vertuno, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026
And while Paraguay deserve plenty of blame for what was a shockingly poor effort, Maucio Pochettino’s USMNT also deserves credit for instilling a killer instinct in his side that broke that Albirroja spirit.
—Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Long after the rainbow merchandise disappears from storefronts and parade routes reopen to traffic, fashion remains one of the most powerful tools for instilling identity and challenging convention.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 11 June 2026
In the audience will be Pink's mother — who took her to shows growing up in Philadelphia, instilling a love of musicals — and Pink's two children, a passing of the musical theater baton.
—ABC News, 7 June 2026
But Adelman also thrived at instilling confidence in players like Delk, a former star at the University of Kentucky who struggled with the Golden State Warriors prior to signing with the Kings in August 1999.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026
Wayans credits his father, Howell, a supermarket manager and Jehovah’s Witness, for instilling in the family a sense of faith, while his mother, Elvira, a social worker, is responsible for their sharp comedy chops.
—Marlow Stern, Variety, 25 May 2026
The manager is a hugely popular figure with players, instilling cohesion and spirit in unexpectedly challenging circumstances.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 22 May 2026
The good news is their $20 million a year head coach looks to be instilling the right on-field habits into his team, so maybe the football on Sundays will actually demonstrate the progress that only the Giants themselves apparently can see at the moment.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026
Jim Vertuno, Chicago Tribune, 20 June 2026
And while Paraguay deserve plenty of blame for what was a shockingly poor effort, Maucio Pochettino’s USMNT also deserves credit for instilling a killer instinct in his side that broke that Albirroja spirit.
—Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
Long after the rainbow merchandise disappears from storefronts and parade routes reopen to traffic, fashion remains one of the most powerful tools for instilling identity and challenging convention.
—Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 11 June 2026
In the audience will be Pink's mother — who took her to shows growing up in Philadelphia, instilling a love of musicals — and Pink's two children, a passing of the musical theater baton.
—ABC News, 7 June 2026
But Adelman also thrived at instilling confidence in players like Delk, a former star at the University of Kentucky who struggled with the Golden State Warriors prior to signing with the Kings in August 1999.
—Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026
Wayans credits his father, Howell, a supermarket manager and Jehovah’s Witness, for instilling in the family a sense of faith, while his mother, Elvira, a social worker, is responsible for their sharp comedy chops.
—Marlow Stern, Variety, 25 May 2026
The manager is a hugely popular figure with players, instilling cohesion and spirit in unexpectedly challenging circumstances.
—Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 22 May 2026
The good news is their $20 million a year head coach looks to be instilling the right on-field habits into his team, so maybe the football on Sundays will actually demonstrate the progress that only the Giants themselves apparently can see at the moment.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instilling
Verb
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Instead, strive for a layered effect, planting low-growing flowers and foliage at the edge of the bed and the dahlias in the center.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 June 2026
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Also, aim to create year-round appeal by planting about a third to half evergreens with the rest deciduous shrubs and perennials.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
Verb
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The islands, which sit about 2,485 miles (4,000 kilometers) southwest of mainland Australia have long been an isolated sanctuary for breeding birds and marine mammals.—
Kathleen Magramo,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
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There were also breeding facilities in the state.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Manipulations include everything from surgically removing key tissues to implanting beads soaked with signaling molecules to injecting DNA into cells to instruct them to make a different set of proteins.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
20 May 2026
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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
Verb
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Within the next year, Samsung will begin embedding Google Gemini directly into Bespoke AI refrigerators, microwaves, and ranges.—
Jill Kargman,
Architectural Digest,
16 June 2026
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First, designing from circularity and embedding regeneration as a core standard for material design while mandating traceability.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Footwear News,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instilling. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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