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:
COGE’s tightening of New York City’s belt could instill similar discontent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 8, 2026
It also was a first for Green Dot, which typically had created new public charter schools from scratch, one grade at a time, to instill a strong culture of motivated families who assertively opt in.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
HVA’s emphasis on reading lots of challenging books of different genres and finding teachers who will instill a love of reading will serve students well.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 12, 2026
At the very least, the president of the United States should instill hope in young children.
From Salon ● May 8, 2026
Yet again, I am reminded of how my generation has failed to instill in our children what is truly possible.
From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon
Despite their fame, the children's parents and manager have instilled in them an "education-first" mentality.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Syrskiy’s Soviet-era military education instilled an understanding of ever-changing tactics, according to Mykola Bielieskov, a senior fellow at Ukrainian National Institute for Strategic Studies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
That definitely instilled in him this fear of confrontation, fear of any kind of high emotions.
From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026
During the 2025 postseason, Randle shook his reputation for fading in the playoffs, crediting his perseverance to a mentality instilled in him many years earlier by Bryant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
My father’s teaching had been instilled inside me: “You are no better than anyone else, but nobody else is better than you.”
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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
The idea is that prevention is better than a cure when it comes to instilling financial responsibility in young people.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 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
Far from instilling resentment, Martin told her, the patrollers’ diligence was a point of pride from county to county.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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.
