MEANING
To gradually introduce an idea, feeling, or quality into someone’s mind or character.
Use it for
Show a belief or feeling taking root over time.Describe how teaching, habit, or experience gradually plants a feeling, value, fear, or belief.
Words that belong together
- instill confidence
- instill discipline
- instill a sense of responsibility
On the page
Her quiet certainty instilled a little courage in the new recruit.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- instill
- Past tense
- instilled
- Past participle
- instilled
- Present participle
- instilling
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- instill
- Present continuous
- am/is/are instilling
- Present perfect
- have/has instilled
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been instilling
- Past
- instilled
- Past continuous
- was/were instilling
- Past perfect
- had instilled
- Past perfect continuous
- had been instilling
- Future
- will instill
- Future continuous
- will be instilling
- Future perfect
- will have instilled
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been instilling
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Explore related collections
Usage notes
Usually takes a quality or belief as its object: instill confidence in someone, or instill someone with confidence. US spelling is “instill”; British English often uses “instil.”
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.