in place of the person or thing mentioned: as an alternative or substitute: to feel like crying, but to laugh instead
Origin of instead
in + steadinstead Idioms
instead of
in place of
adverb
Instead is defined as something chosen in place of or as a substitute for something else.
When you want to have ice cream but you are out and you settle for pudding, this is an example of a situation where you had pudding instead.
YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2018 by LoveToKnow Corp
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"instead." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 19 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/INstead>.
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instead. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/INstead
instead
Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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Cite this page
MLA Style
"instead." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 19 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/INstead>.
APA Style
instead. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/INstead
instead
adverb
- In the place of something previously mentioned; as a substitute or an equivalent: Having planned to drive, we walked instead.
- In preference; as an alternative: yearned instead for a home and family.
Origin of instead
Middle English in sted of in place of in in ; see in 1. stede place ; see stead . of of ; see of .THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"instead." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 19 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/INstead>.
APA Style
instead. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/INstead
Adverb
(not comparable)
- In the place of something (usually mentioned earlier); as a substitute or alternative.
- I was going to go shopping, but I went dancing instead.
Origin
in + stead, from Middle English ine (“in”) + stede (“stead”).
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"instead." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 19 January 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/INstead>.
APA Style
instead. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19th, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/INstead
Sentence Examples
- I will try to make friends instead of enemies.
- I always pictured myself driving a van instead of a truck.
- Instead of dining out, we ordered a couple of pizzas.
- Instead of improving, Destiny got steadily worse.
- Instead of shifting with each step, the ground felt solid.
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