instead of

preposition

in·​stead of in-ˈste-də(v) How to pronounce instead of (audio)
-ˈsti-
: in place of : as a substitute for or alternative to
chose tea instead of coffee

Examples of instead of in a Sentence

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By staying at Penn State instead of chasing playing time elsewhere, Elsdon wrapped up a degree in health policy administration with a minor in kinesiology last summer. Eddie Pells, Chicago Tribune, 9 Jan. 2025 Boards that fail to appreciate this tension risk setting their organizations up for brittle transformation instead of sustainable growth. Bob Zukis, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025 Supporting characters are barely more than caricatures, leaving viewers with unsettling queries instead of finite answers. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 9 Jan. 2025 The Pro, however, also comes with 24 GB of RAM (instead of 16 GB) and 1 TB of storage, plus the AeroActive Cooler X Pro in the box (which is a fan that attaches to the back of the phone to cool the CPU). Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 9 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for instead of 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English in sted of

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of instead of was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near instead of

Cite this Entry

“Instead of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instead%20of. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

instead of

preposition
in-ˌsted-ə(v),
-ˌstid-
: in place of : as a substitute for
had milk instead of juice

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