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

See Examples For:

instead of

The doll featured a new Barbie face sculpt with a closed mouth instead of a big toothy smile.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

"By identifying this specific protective pathway, we may be able to develop more targeted therapeutic approaches that restore intestinal balance instead of broadly suppressing immune responses."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 17, 2026

Following a suspected tear last year, Hodgkinson had a scan which revealed she has a "split" hamstring, giving her two tendons instead of one.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

These cards can help if the cardholder uses the introductory period as a chance to pay off the debt, instead of taking a break from paying interest.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026

This picture was different from her usual ones, drawn with thin lines of color, greens and yellows, instead of thick peat lines.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff