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 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
The Prince and Princess of Wales are both passionate about sports and fitness, instilling that interest in their children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Changing the Giants’ culture, restoring leadership to their locker room and instilling higher expectations into the building will be no easy task.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 20 Jan. 2026
Aiken points to former students who became educators, doctors and professionals outside the arts, crediting dance for instilling transferable skills.
—Kansas City Star, 14 Jan. 2026
Perhaps no one is better at instilling confidence in players of all experience levels at that position.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Authoritarian regimes—and the militias and security agencies that buttress them—rely on instilling fear in their subjects.
—Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
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
The Prince and Princess of Wales are both passionate about sports and fitness, instilling that interest in their children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.
—Janine Henni, PEOPLE, 20 Jan. 2026
Changing the Giants’ culture, restoring leadership to their locker room and instilling higher expectations into the building will be no easy task.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 20 Jan. 2026
Aiken points to former students who became educators, doctors and professionals outside the arts, crediting dance for instilling transferable skills.
—Kansas City Star, 14 Jan. 2026
Perhaps no one is better at instilling confidence in players of all experience levels at that position.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
Authoritarian regimes—and the militias and security agencies that buttress them—rely on instilling fear in their subjects.
—Elizabeth Tsurkov, The Atlantic, 11 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instilling
Verb
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This step keeps cuttings from becoming overly moist after planting.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
8 Feb. 2026
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Once your spring seed order has arrived from your favorite seed company, waiting to start planting your seeds can be difficult.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The report states that the breeding population of bears is expanding into more cities and towns.—
Sasha Allen,
Hartford Courant,
31 Jan. 2026
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Nuka had lived at the Detroit Zoo from 2011 to 2022, and then was moved to the Toledo Zoo in 2022 for breeding efforts with female polar bear Crystal.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The bill would prohibit the importation, sale, and offer of sale of pets that are transgenic, meaning they are created by implanting a gene from one species into another.—
Kate Wolffe,
Sacbee.com,
4 Feb. 2026
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After implanting him with the device, a now docile Hank reveals that he's already released implanted people into the Wasteland — and that they've been given instructions.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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By embedding sustainability into supply chains and leveraging artificial intelligence for smart routing, LiquiDonate helps companies turn waste into value and build a circular economy that benefits both communities and the planet.—
Sarah Jones,
Sourcing Journal,
3 Feb. 2026
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The report goes further, explaining that most failures stem not from the models themselves, but from poor integration into real workflows, overreliance on generic tools, and a tendency for companies to treat AI as a standalone experiment rather than embedding it into core operations.—
Michael Wystrach,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instilling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instilling. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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