instead of

Idioms  

1. Also, in lieu of; in place of; in someone's stead. In substitution for, rather than. For example, She wore a dress instead of slacks, or They had a soprano in lieu of a tenor, or In place of soft drinks they served fruit juice, or The chairman spoke in her stead. Instead of dates from about 1200; in lieu of, which borrows lieu, meaning “place,” from French, dates from the late 1200s; in place of dates from the 1500s; and in someone's stead from the 1200s. Also see under in someone's shoes.

---

Example Sentences

But instead of giving Stafford another weapon, they gave him... his eventual replacement.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2026

The wingers now pressed the centre-backs instead of the full-backs.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

Attorney Jeanine Pirro wrote on Friday that the Inspector General for the Federal Reserve would investigate instead of the DOJ.

From Barron's • Apr. 25, 2026

"It shows that instead of relying on complex nanotechnology, we can use self-organizing materials," concludes Prof. Wiktor Piecek from the Military University of Technology.

From Science Daily • Apr. 25, 2026

“You came right in here to play your game instead of talking to me. Is Lorren’s mother letting her have more time?”

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows