instills

Definition of instillsnext
present tense third-person singular of instill
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

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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 My earthy and meditative Mars gives me a reflective nature and also instills in me a zest for positivity. Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 28 Nov. 2025 Likewise, any major creator of AI models unwittingly instills biases in its chatbots that are then difficult to expunge. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2025 Lyster said the way Amazon handles disability accommodation requests instills fear of termination or retaliation in its employees. Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 13 Nov. 2025 Now a community organizer and member of an anti-violence collective who works in the favela, Medeiros is no stranger to how the Red Command instills fear in its territories. Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025 Do stretches, deep breathing, meditation or anything that engages your physical body and instills calm. Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 29 Oct. 2025 This path instills our culture, standards and patient-first philosophy from the start. Prof. Dr. Med. Mazda Farshad, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Oct. 2025 That’s why activating existing natural strengths not only boosts the leader’s self-confidence but also instills trust in the team. Gamze Acar Bayraktaroglu, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 As Defense Secretary Dan Ogilvy (Pip Carter) is appointed as interim Prime Minister, Livingston deploys the military into the streets and instills a 24-hour media blackout. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instills
Verb
  • Agriculture officials also warn that anyone who plants the seeds may inadvertently introducing invasive plants, pests or diseases that carry a serious biosecurity risk.
    Jeremy Tanner, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2026
  • In soil or water, these plants sprout roots in as little as 1 to 2 weeks, even in winter.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • It’s long been said that familiarity breeds contempt.
    Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
  • The California least tern is a white-and-black bird less than 10 inches long that breeds only in a few areas along the bays and lagoons of California and Mexico and is in danger of extinction because of coastal development.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Bernstein downgraded Freeport-McMoRan to hold from buy, and said the current valuation embeds a much higher copper price than Bernstein is comfortable with.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
  • The film embeds its characters in a creative reimagining of Elizabethan period pieces, with costume design nominee Malgosia Turzanska drawing on the color of blood as inspiration for Anges’s garments.
    Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Louisiana dirty rice is a tasty meat-and-rice dish that roots its flavor in aromatic Cajun seasoning and the holy trinity vegetables.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 12 Jan. 2026
  • For Pritchard, whose Stanford roots date back to 2005, the chance to return as head coach was both emotional and deeply personal.
    Harold Gutmann, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Instills.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instills. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

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