If you inculcate an idea or opinion in someone's mind, you teach it to them by repeating it until it is fixed in their mind. We have tried to inculcate a feeling of citizenship in youngsters The aim is to inculcate business people with an appreciation of different cultures Great care was taken to inculcate the values of nationhood and family. = instil. to fix ideas, principles etc in someone's mind inculcate sth in/into sb (past participle of inculcare , from calx )