instead of

preposition

in·​stead of in-ˈste-də(v) How to pronounce instead of (audio)
-ˈsti-
: in place of : as a substitute for or alternative to
chose tea instead of coffee

Examples of instead of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Auh's answer is to hand the choice of cryptography to the user instead of the chain. — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 So much so, a conversation could become unnecessarily complicated as a result of everyone reacting to the tone, instead of the context. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 2 Aug. 2026 Releasing Fauci’s personal notes fuels grudge match instead of reform. — Megan McArdle, Washington Post, 2 Aug. 2026 The wearer of the yellow jersey was nailed on for another win, this time in a bunch sprint instead of a reduced pack. — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for instead of

Word History

Etymology

Middle English in sted of

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of instead of was in the 13th century

Rhymes for instead of

See All Rhymes for instead of

Browse Nearby Words

instead
instead of
insteep
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Instead of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instead%20of. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

instead of

preposition
in-ˌsted-ə(v), 
-ˌstid-
: in place of : as a substitute for
had milk instead of juice

More from Merriam-Webster on instead of

Nglish: Translation of instead of for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All