instance

American  

[in-stuhns] / ˈɪn stəns /

noun

1. a case or occurrence of anything.

   fresh instances of oppression.

2. an example put forth in proof or illustration.

   to cite a few instances.

3. Also called instanced dungeon.  (in an online multiplayer video game) a zone, as a dungeon, to which access is limited to a player or group of players entering simultaneously and working together: each instance is one copy of the zone in which the quests, enemies, items, events, etc., are staged exclusively for the player or group accessing it, without interference from other player characters in the larger online population of the game server.

4. Law. the institution and prosecution of a case.

5. Archaic. urgency in speech or action.

6. Obsolete. an impelling motive.

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verb (used with object)

instanced, instancing

1. to cite as an instance or example.

2. to exemplify by an instance.

3. (in an online multiplayer video game) to design (a zone) as a set of identical copies, staged exclusively for the player or group accessing it, without interference from the larger population of the game server, thereby presenting key narrative elements or achievements in a controlled environment.

   The game developers instanced a winter wonderland with special quests for the holiday event.

verb (used without object)

instanced, instancing

1. to cite an instance.

idioms

1. at the instance of, at the urging or suggestion of.

   He applied for the assistantship at the instance of his professor.

2. for instance, as an example; for example.

   If you were to go to Italy, for instance, you would get a different perspective on our culture.

instance British  

/ ˈɪnstəns /

noun

1. a case or particular example

2. for or as an example

3. a specified stage in proceedings; step (in the phrases in the first, second, etc, instance )

4. urgent request or demand (esp in the phrase at the instance of )

5. logic

   1. an expression derived from another by instantiation

   2. See substitution

6. archaic motive or reason

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verb

1. to cite as an example

instance More Idioms  

1. see under for example.

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Related Words

See case ¹.

Other Word Forms

• counterinstance
  noun
• uninstanced
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of instance

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English instaunce, from Middle French instance, from Medieval Latin īnstantia “case, example” ( Latin “presence, immediate applicability; earnestness, urgency”); see origin at instant, -ance

Explanation

An instance is a specific example or case of something. One instance of being chased by a growling dog can make a person spend his whole life being afraid of animals. It's common to find instance used in the expression "for instance," meaning "for example." Bright colors — for instance, pink, green, and blue — can cheer you up when you're feeling sad. Instance can also mean "occurrence." Several instances of cheating might be reported after a math test, for example. In the sixteenth century, the Medieval Latin word instantia meant "example to the contrary," leading to an early definition of instance as "single objection."

Example Sentences

The brouhaha over paid social media content is just the latest instance of the growing political impact of online creators.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

For instance, how do you measure what 1,900 royal public engagements in 2024-25 meant to local communities?

From BBC • May 14, 2026

There he began developing the theories that would direct his life and work—the idea, for instance, that a “talented tenth” would lead black America to liberation.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

He noted that long-term-care costs in Maryland, for instance, can run between $8,000 and $12,000 a month for memory care.

From MarketWatch • May 14, 2026

How did the bet perform, for instance, using the assumption of losses generated by the most pessimistic Wall Street analyst?

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Related Words

• detail
• example
• item
• occasion
• occurrence
• particular
• precedent
• proof
• reason