Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of instill
First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin instillāre, equivalent to in- in- 2 + stillāre “to drip”; see distill
Explanation
Parents work hard to develop, or instill, positive beliefs and values in their children. Interestingly, there's no corresponding word for when parents pass down their bad habits. Instill comes from the Latin verb stillare, meaning "to drip." For some people, this word provides an apt metaphor for the way that parents and teachers cultivate understanding in young learners, patiently introducing wisdom "drop by drop." (Of course, for others, instill conjures up the image of a persistently dripping faucet that just won't be quiet.)
Vocabulary lists containing instill
I Am Malala
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Fever 1793
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Unit 3: Compelling Evidence
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
It’s one of many safety nets in place that should instill confidence when we board planes, cruise ships or simply pack up the car for a weekend getaway.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Many schools fail to instill a questioning mindset.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
What I try to instill instead is an intrinsic desire to grow as a thinker.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
At the very least, the president of the United States should instill hope in young children.
From Salon ● May 8, 2026
An attempt to instill order into a world gone wrong.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
The airstrikes have instilled deep fear in Ecuadoran fishermen.
From Barron's ● Sep. 4, 2026
Suwa nevertheless instilled in the fledgling ballerina a discipline and rigor that would carry Morishita through her career.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
That definitely instilled in him this fear of confrontation, fear of any kind of high emotions.
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
"They pursued their education, they built careers, they created lives that reflected the values their parents instilled in them."
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
“America ... shall respond finally ... to the self-interest instilled in all men by our God . .. now untrammeled by the unnatural devices of princes and . . . tyrants. .. .”
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
Carlos Beltrán credits his father with instilling his work ethic by winning “perfect attendance” certificates every year for 35 years at his company.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026
Not only in picking up 11 points from seven games to preserve the club's top-flight status, but his growing influence is instilling belief in the squad.
From BBC ● May 27, 2026
In the vast majority of cases, he said, instilling trust in customers is now more important than being able to show off technical genius.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
Attenborough's programmes succeeded in instilling in the public an unparallelled passion and wonder for the natural world, said Gouyon.
From Barron's ● May 6, 2026
If his upbringing at the abbey had specialized in anything, it was instilling a profound sense of unworthiness.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
