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.

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Example Sentences

Instead of using negative words like "no" or "don't", the child is offered choices.

From BBC

Kelly used phrases like "mummy's going to help you get down" instead of telling her son not to jump down.

From BBC

Instead of celebrating, however, he had to bid farewell to his ailing mother, who had long been in intensive care.

From Barron's

Instead of shelves of alcohol, apothecary drawers stocked with ingredients like goji berries and angelica root line the walls, permeating the room with their scent.

From Barron's

“Instead of plowing billions into the future knowing these large EVs will never make money, we are pivoting,” Ford Chief Executive Jim Farley has said.

From The Wall Street Journal