instill

especially British, in·stil

[in-stil]

verb (used with object)

instilled, instilling 

1. to infuse slowly or gradually into the mind or feelings; insinuate; inject.

   to instill courtesy in a child.

   Synonyms: introduce, inculcate

2. to put in drop by drop.

Other Word Forms

• instiller noun
• instillment noun
• preinstill verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of instill¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Latin instillāre, equivalent to in- in- ² + stillāre “to drip”; distill

Example Sentences

His performances instilled hope and helped me imagine a life beyond my circumstances.

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For over two decades, Burton taught literacy skills and helped instill a love for reading in children across the country.

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The confidence she instilled in us was really cool.

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In the book, he writes of "angry crescendos and heavy silences" from his parents' bedroom, which instilled a "constant watchfulness that became instinct before I understood why".

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Cox said during a news conference that bots from Russia and China are working online to “instill disinformation and encourage violence.”

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Related Words

• diffuse 
• disseminate 
• engender 
• imbue 
• impart 
• inculcate 
• inject 
• inspire