instead of

preposition

in·​stead of in-ˈste-də(v) 

-ˈsti-

: in place of : as a substitute for or alternative to

chose tea instead of coffee

Examples of instead of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The interior pockets are stretchy instead of just a slip, which keeps things more contained, and there’s an interior water bottle pocket that even has a cutout for a handle. — Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026

Wu says two to three times a week, instead of nightly, works for many, but check with your dermatologist for their recommendation for your skin. — Lindy Segal, Glamour, 22 Sep. 2026

The energy generated at renewable energy power plants is used to accelerate the flywheel and store it as kinetic motion, instead of carrying out the chemical reactions in a lithium-ion battery. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026

ToastChee cheddar cheese packages lists tumeric and annatto extracts instead of Yellow 6 and Yellow 5. — Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English in sted of

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for instead of

• above
• foxglove
• hereof
• thereof
• whereof
• dove
• glove
• love
• shove
• hereinabove

Kids Definition

instead of

preposition

in-ˌsted-ə(v), 

-ˌstid-

: in place of : as a substitute for

had milk instead of juice