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
Why does one hard working fan have to buy seven different versions of an album instead of just having all of the songs be on one complete album?
—
Bryan West, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
But instead of distributing cash, the machines accept cash in exchange for cryptocurrency.
—Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2025
Back in the 1920s, even the Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin called on his British supporters to affiliate with the Labour Party instead of fighting it.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Oct. 2025
Poe transplanted the story to Paris, changed Mary’s name to Marie Rogêt and recast her as a perfume shop worker instead of a cigar girl.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
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Bryan West, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
But instead of distributing cash, the machines accept cash in exchange for cryptocurrency.
—Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2025
Back in the 1920s, even the Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin called on his British supporters to affiliate with the Labour Party instead of fighting it.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 4 Oct. 2025
Poe transplanted the story to Paris, changed Mary’s name to Marie Rogêt and recast her as a perfume shop worker instead of a cigar girl.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for instead of
Cite this Entry
“Instead of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instead%20of. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
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