as in plants
to set permanently in the consciousness or mind-set
a charismatic leader who instilled in his followers a passionate commitment to the cause
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of instills
An explosion targeting the headquarters of a political party instills fear in a part of the population.
—
ABC News, 11 May 2026
Music is something that instills an immediate reaction.
—Matt Thompson, SPIN, 4 May 2026
Success instills success and successful outcomes instill pride.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Lockwood’s music instills joy in listening, and such revitalized desire leaves your body freshly tender, sensitive to whatever pierces the ear.
—Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026
The first instills obedience; the second, agency.
—Deborah Kenny, Time, 20 Apr. 2026
Looking ahead in these ways instills a sense of forward momentum.
—Mark Travers, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2026
Still, scrolling through TMZ’s posts of congresspeople instills a strange rush of Schadenfreude.
—Paula Mejía, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026
Home Depot leaned into a cultural narrative – a homeowner improving their home via a project instills pride, the company said.
—Alexandria Mansfield, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
ABC News, 11 May 2026
Music is something that instills an immediate reaction.
—Matt Thompson, SPIN, 4 May 2026
Success instills success and successful outcomes instill pride.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
Lockwood’s music instills joy in listening, and such revitalized desire leaves your body freshly tender, sensitive to whatever pierces the ear.
—Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 28 Apr. 2026
The first instills obedience; the second, agency.
—Deborah Kenny, Time, 20 Apr. 2026
Looking ahead in these ways instills a sense of forward momentum.
—Mark Travers, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2026
Still, scrolling through TMZ’s posts of congresspeople instills a strange rush of Schadenfreude.
—Paula Mejía, New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2026
Home Depot leaned into a cultural narrative – a homeowner improving their home via a project instills pride, the company said.
—Alexandria Mansfield, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instills
Verb
-
See what our founder plants in the shadow of her redwoods.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
29 May 2026
-
Space plants 36 to 48 inches apart, setting two strong transplants on a hill or mound.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
Competition breeds comparison, which could push you to prioritize whatever makes the organization look good relative to others, rather than the metrics that drive long-term sustainability.—
Brendan Keegan,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
The water grows stagnant and breeds mosquitoes.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
Because there’s something about the college environment that really inculcates hierarchy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
This embeds skill-building into daily work, shifting teams toward higher-value roles without slowing execution.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
The vehicle is integrated with Klein’s SmartArray Technology, which embeds key electronics directly within the transducer array to support a more compact system architecture and preserve valuable vehicle payload space.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Cousteau roots his pitch in economics.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
28 May 2026
-
This is a high-spirited opening for curious neighbors and travelers alike, with a mischievous sense of fun that firmly roots guests in their destination.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Instills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instills. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
