instruct
Americanverb (used with object)
-
instructs,
present (3rd person singular)
-
instructed,
past participle, past
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instructing
present participle
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to furnish with knowledge, especially by a systematic method; teach; train; educate.
- Synonyms:
- school, indoctrinate, discipline, drill, coach, tutor
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to furnish with orders or directions; direct; order; command.
The doctor instructed me to diet.
- Synonyms:
- prescribe
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to furnish with information; inform; apprise.
- Synonyms:
- enlighten
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Law. (of a judge) to guide (a jury) by outlining the legal principles involved in the case under consideration.
verb
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to direct to do something; order
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to teach (someone) how to do (something)
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to furnish with information; apprise
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law
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(esp of a client to his solicitor or a solicitor to a barrister) to give relevant facts or information to
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to authorize (a barrister or solicitor) to conduct a case on a person's behalf
to instruct counsel
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Synonym Usage
See teach.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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instructednessnoun
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misinstructverb (used with object)
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overinstructverb (used with object)
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preinstructverb (used with object)
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reinstructverb (used with object)
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instructibleadjective
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quasi-instructedadjective
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self-instructedadjective
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self-instructingadjective
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uninstructibleadjective
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uninstructingadjective
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well-instructedadjective
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instructedlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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instructsimple
-
instructssimple
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have instructedperfect
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has instructedperfect
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am instructingprogressive
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are instructingprogressive
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is instructingprogressive
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have been instructingperfect progressive
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has been instructingperfect progressive
Past
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instructedsimple
-
had instructedperfect
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was instructingprogressive
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were instructingprogressive
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had been instructingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of instruct
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Latin instructus, past participle of instruere “to equip, train, set in order,” equivalent to in- “in” + struc- (variant stem of struere “to put together”) + -tus past participle suffix; see in- 2
Explanation
This website is designed to instruct visitors about the meaning of words and their correct usage. To instruct is to give instructions, to teach. Teachers are often called instructors because their job is to instruct, to give knowledge or instructions. The subtle difference between "teach" and instruct is that you can teach almost anything: concepts, ideas, theories or, say, history. When you instruct someone, you're giving them a set of tools or tasks to do something specific. That's why furniture, toys, and model rocket kits come with instructions: they instruct you how to assemble them.
Vocabulary lists containing instruct
"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from Act 3
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Words to Know and Academic Words, Unit 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
You don’t enjoy clicking around a bunch looking for a table, so you instruct an agent to do it for you.
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
If you do pay extra to speed up your loan payoff, instruct your lender to apply all extra funds directly to your principal balance immediately and to keep your next payment due date unchanged.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
It is understood manager Thomas Tuchel is set to instruct his players to avoid jumping over the hoardings to ensure there is no repeat.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
While the Fed’s rules don’t flatly forbid closed-door meetings, they instruct officials to avoid sharing personal policy views with anyone who could profit financially unless those views are already public.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Matthias took a group of Redwall mice to instruct in the use of the quarter staff—he had discovered in himself a natural skill with the long ash pole.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
The judge instructs the baby and his mother, age 17, to apply for asylum.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
The change request instructs servicers to complete the task within 15 to 45 days, the suit alleges, and yet borrowers are still seeing the debt appear on their credit reports.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
The result is a personalised anti-cancer jab which is specific to the patient's tumour and instructs the immune system to recognise and attack any tumour cells that remain.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
The memorandum instructs banks to file suspicious activity reports with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, the U.S. government’s financial intelligence unit.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
A box of tissues is conveniently placed next to the plush couch where Ms. Finn instructs me to “sit, relax, make yourself at home.”
From "A Mango-Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass
Students are also instructed to slow down when driving near donkeys as collisions can cause injury or even death to humans and animals.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
It adds that the prime minister has instructed authorities to "ramp up security" on flights to Israel, regardless of whether they are operated by Israeli or non-Israeli airlines.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Participants were also instructed not to speak with researchers or use their phones while their blood pressure was being checked.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
American chip making giant Nvidia announced on Monday that it created a system designed to stop autonomous AI programs from straying beyond what they were instructed to do.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
‘You will be back before curfew,’ Auntie instructed.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
Everyone in the room grabbed either shakers or a small drum, and with Densmore instructing and conducting, the ensemble conjured what he called the heartbeat of Mother Earth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026
Boeing will also send a bulletin to airlines detailing the issue and instructing employees how to recognize and respond to the situation should it take place.
From Barron's ● Oct. 3, 2026
Burger King is instructing managers to staff front counters, while Wendy’s is reviewing its AI drive-through trials to improve service.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
It’s not necessarily easy for entire school districts to shift to a new standard, given that teachers have been instructing using these calculators for years.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 18, 2026
He wrote a confidential memorandum to the police, instructing them to look out for rebellious young people who brawled, made mischief, and violated police orders.
From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
