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 taking money from Big Oil, he’s given money, time and counsel to those of us volunteering in the fight against the industry.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

Instead of simply responding to temperature and weather, trees can also adjust their timing based on biological threats like insect outbreaks.

From Science Daily • May 5, 2026

Instead of providing clarity, the courts have created chaos.

From Slate • May 5, 2026

Instead of AI agents making cards obsolete, Visa in its quarterly call outlined a scenario in which AI agents might act as supercharged versions of card-wielding humans.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

Instead of wearing a seashell on his back, like most hermit crabs, he wore a rusty old soup can.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown