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
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
The jeweler is best known for instilling his fluid gold and diamond pieces with sensuality and movement.
—Jill Newman, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2026
The aggressive and indiscriminate tactics ICE deploys directly disrupt this dynamic, instilling fear and discouraging our immigrant neighbors from leaving their homes to engage in what were once their routine activities.
—Aubrey Jackson Soller, Baltimore Sun, 3 Feb. 2026
The offensive tackle was a force to be reckoned with, instilling fear in opposing defenses.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Several cities across the country have seen an increase in immigration raids, which community members say are instilling fear in residents.
—Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
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
The jeweler is best known for instilling his fluid gold and diamond pieces with sensuality and movement.
—Jill Newman, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2026
The aggressive and indiscriminate tactics ICE deploys directly disrupt this dynamic, instilling fear and discouraging our immigrant neighbors from leaving their homes to engage in what were once their routine activities.
—Aubrey Jackson Soller, Baltimore Sun, 3 Feb. 2026
The offensive tackle was a force to be reckoned with, instilling fear in opposing defenses.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Several cities across the country have seen an increase in immigration raids, which community members say are instilling fear in residents.
—Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instilling
Verb
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Traffic mitigation measures included planting tall trees and striping the road entrances red to preserve drivers’ line of sight.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
15 Mar. 2026
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Beyond planting the cherry tree in a sunny spot, make sure to give it the correct amount of moisture throughout its early years.—
Heather Bien,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At some colonies in Argentina, 97% of pups died, while on South Georgia Island, researchers reported a 47% decline in breeding females between 2022 and 2024.—
Susanne Rust
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2026
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Sprinkle Mosquito Bits granules into the water that collects in the center of the leafy rosette to prevent Aedes mosquitoes from breeding there.—
Nan Sterman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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Score and Mills, a Brevard County couple, sued IVF Life — which does business as Fertility Center of Orlando — last month for implanting Score with the the wrong embryo.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The result is a rapidly emerging Chinese model of AI—less centered on chatbots and more on embedding intelligence directly into the machinery of the real economy.—
François Candelon,
Fortune,
13 Mar. 2026
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A lot of that involves NASA embedding with the companies to ensure safety and operational requirements are met during development.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instilling. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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