instead of

Idioms and Phrases

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

The latter now drags Tamino in, but instead of-49- the reward he expects, receives a sound flogging.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Instead Of

What does instead of mean?

Instead of is a phrase that means rather than or in place of. It is used to present an alternative or a substitute.

Instead of is used to contrast two things. It is often used to explain choices or introduce an alternate event that happened or could happen in place of something else. Instead of can indicate that something was swapped out for something else.

If someone uses their left hand to write with instead of their right hand, for example, it means they chose to use their left hand rather than the right.

Used in a sentence: Tanya used peanut butter instead of chocolate in the recipe and the results were yummy!

Example: Instead of pepperoni, I like to put pineapple on my pizza.

Where does instead of come from?

The first records of instead of come from around 1200. The phrase combines the adverb instead, meaning “as a substitute” or “as an alternative,” and the word of.

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What are some synonyms for instead of?

• rather than
• in place of

What are some words that share a root or word element with instead of?

• instead
• of

What are some words that often get used in discussing instead of?

• substitution
• alternative
• option
• choice
• selection
• action

How is instead of used in real life?

Instead of is a common phrase that explains that something happened in place of something else or something was chosen over other options.

Those who put arms into the hands of children instead of food, books and toys commit a crime not only against the little ones, but against all of humanity. #ChildrenNotSoldiers

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) February 12, 2021

"We need accountability then healing. I hope this song makes those who love to point and shoot senselessly to pause just for a milli second and commit to life instead of death.” #endgunviolence4life 🌎https://t.co/KkqHjipghe

— Kēvens (@kevens) April 9, 2021

I made hot chocolate instead of coffee today.

It vastly improved my case of the Mondays.

— Maggie Menderski (@MaggieMenderski) November 9, 2020

Try using instead of!

Is instead of used correctly in the following sentence?

I need to wear a suit to the fancy party instead of the messy clothes I usually wear.