Thesaurus results for INSTILL

Q: How does the verb 'instill' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of instill are implant , inculcate , infix , and inseminate . While all these words mean "to introduce into the mind," instill stresses gradual, gentle imparting of knowledge over a long period of time. // instill traditional values in your children

Q: When would 'implant' be a good substitute for 'instill'?

While in some cases nearly identical to instill , implant implies teaching that makes for permanence of what is taught. // implanted a love of reading in her students

Q: Where would 'inculcate' be a reasonable alternative to 'instill'?

While the synonyms inculcate and instill are close in meaning, inculcate implies persistent or repeated efforts to impress on the mind. // tried to inculcate in him high moral standards

Q: When could 'infix' be used to replace 'instill'?

Although the words infix and instill have much in common, infix stresses firmly inculcating a habit of thought. // infixed a chronic cynicism

Q: In what contexts can 'inseminate' take the place of 'instill'?

The meanings of inseminate and instill largely overlap; however, inseminate applies to a sowing of ideas in many minds so that they spread through a class or nation. // inseminated an unquestioning faith in technology

instill

verb

in-ˈstil

Definition of instill

as in to plant

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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How does the verb instill differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of instill are implant, inculcate, infix, and inseminate. While all these words mean "to introduce into the mind," instill stresses gradual, gentle imparting of knowledge over a long period of time.

instill traditional values in your children

When would implant be a good substitute for instill?

While in some cases nearly identical to instill, implant implies teaching that makes for permanence of what is taught.

implanted a love of reading in her students

Where would inculcate be a reasonable alternative to instill?

While the synonyms inculcate and instill are close in meaning, inculcate implies persistent or repeated efforts to impress on the mind.

tried to inculcate in him high moral standards

When could infix be used to replace instill?

Although the words infix and instill have much in common, infix stresses firmly inculcating a habit of thought.

infixed a chronic cynicism

In what contexts can inseminate take the place of instill?

The meanings of inseminate and instill largely overlap; however, inseminate applies to a sowing of ideas in many minds so that they spread through a class or nation.

inseminated an unquestioning faith in technology

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 instill Typically, a company will instill a 180-day lockup period before pre-IPO shares become eligible to trade. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 China's growth has been fueled by government funding for companies as well as a culture of innovation and speed the country has instilled in its workers, experts have said. — Michael Wayland, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2026 The secrecy surrounding the framework may not instill public confidence in the government’s ability to vet and secure powerful AI models, especially after OpenAI confirmed its models hacked into another company, Hugging Face, last month. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026 Crucially — a hard line the late actor instilled from the get-go — each camp is an independent, non-profit organization, relying on private funding to ensure every child and family can take part completely free of charge. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for instill

Recent Examples of Synonyms for instill

Verb

The message was about taking care of one another — a seed Dyer has worked hard to plant and grow since leaving his electrical engineering career more than a decade ago to become a Presbyterian minister.

— Heidi Stevens, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Wilson’s draft night peers await The Bulls rookie planted his flag some time ago.

— Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of plant

Verb

Elephant seals and sea lions bark and breed on its sandy coves.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Game fowl are bred for aggression by definition, said Jenny Berg, California state director of the Humane World for Animals, which worked with Rogers on the bill.

— Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of breed

Verb

We were constantly informed that our purpose was to become genteel and inculcated in Christian virtue.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Teaching religion at two Catholic high schools before and after law school, my job was to inculcate Roman Catholic values in my students.

— Charles J. Russo, The Conversation, 27 Apr. 2026

Definition of inculcate

Verb

Images created by Google's AI tools normally have a small sparkle icon embedded in the bottom right corner.

— Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 15 Aug. 2026
For example, antiquarian scholars introduced the erroneous notion that druids built stone circles—most notably Stonehenge—for their ceremonies, an idea that became embedded in the popular imagination during the 18th century.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of embed

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“Instill.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instill. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of instill

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