instead

adverb

in·​stead in-ˈsted 

1

: as a substitute or equivalent

was going to write but called instead

2

: as an alternative to something expressed or implied : rather

longed instead for a quiet country life

Synonyms

• first
• rather

Examples of instead in a Sentence

I was offered a ride, but I chose to walk instead.

Recent Examples on the Web

The teams will instead play a double-header Tuesday at Citi Field, before concluding the three-game series Wednesday. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2024

The train had no conductor or engineer onboard; instead, its movement was being controlled by a remote operator who was not aboard the train and, under railroad protocols, could have been more than a half-mile away. —Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, New York Times, 27 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1667, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing instead

• instead of

Kids Definition

instead

adverb

in·​stead in-ˈsted 

: as a substitute

was going to write but called instead