Thesaurus results for INSTEAD

instead

adverb

in-ˈsted

Definition of instead

as in rather

as a substitute I was offered a ride, but I chose to walk instead

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of instead Engineers instead treated the chips as a black box and studied their behavior. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026 Fields has opted not to seek reelection to Congress and instead is pursuing a seat in the state Senate. — ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026 Yet Google has always noted that the G6 is rarely about ultimate power; instead it is optimised for on-device AI. — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 The Athletic reported on Tuesday that the England Under-18 international had declined to sign a professional contract with Rovers, who instead extended his scholarship agreement into a third year. — James McNicholas, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for instead

Recent Examples of Synonyms for instead

rather

Adverb

Protectionism is generally not the cause of trade conflicts, but rather a symptom of imbalances that have endured for too long.

— MICHAEL PETTIS, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
Thus polytheistic worship of deities and monist philosophy are not opposed but rather different ways of reaching the divine.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of rather

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instating

instead

instigate

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“Instead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instead. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of instead

adverb

Example Sentences

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