instruction

noun

in·struc·tion | \ in-ˈstrək-shən

Definition of instruction

1a instructions plural : an outline or manual of technical procedure : directions

b : a direction calling for compliance : order —usually used in plural had instructions not to admit strangers

c : a code that tells a computer to perform a particular operation

d : precept prevailing cultural instructions

2 : the action, practice, or profession of teaching

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Examples of instruction in a Sentence

You should read each instruction carefully. Their instruction was to deliver the package by five o'clock. The after-school program offers reading instruction to students who need it. The computer can handle one million instructions per second.

Recent Examples on the Web

The art on show includes drawings, paintings and sculptures rendered from her algorithmic instructions. — Suyin Haynes, Time, "This Robot Artist Just Became the First to Stage a Solo Exhibition. What Does That Say About Creativity?," 17 June 2019 This coach, however, prefers his serious instruction be done in the classrooms at team headquarters. — Mark Kiszla, The Denver Post, "Kiszla: How the Fangio Stare, soon to be famous in Broncos Country, is redefining Denver’s defense," 8 June 2019 Also, the Broward ballot designed by Snipes’ office placed the U.S. Senate race in the left-hand column, under a set of instructions. — Anthony Man, sun-sentinel.com, "Former Democratic Party boss wants job overseeing Broward elections," 5 June 2019 May’s authority was hanging by a thread after 30 members of her Conservative Party defied her instructions and voted late Monday for Parliament to take control of the process. — Danica Kirka, The Seattle Times, "UK government defiant as Parliament takes control of Brexit," 27 Mar. 2019 Concerned that negative reviews could hurt recruiting, Guaranteed Rate CEO Victor Ciardelli instructed his team to enlist employees likely to post positive reviews, said a person familiar with his instructions. — Andrea Fuller, WSJ, "How Companies Secretly Boost Their Glassdoor Ratings," 22 Jan. 2019 Buy truth, and do not sell it; buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding. — Blair Donovan, Country Living, "25 Mother's Day Bible Verses to Share With Your Mom," 5 Apr. 2019 Previously, Intel had released just some of the technical details of the architecture, such as the number of instructions Sunny Cove could execute in parallel (five), and some very basic performance comparisons to prior generations. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Intel reveals its 10nm Ice Lake Core and stacked Lakefield CPUs, and 'Project Athena' for laptops," 7 Jan. 2019 Although director Patty Jenkins had reportedly given strict instructions for those in attendance not to record the clips shown during the Wonder Woman panel, Vulture had a rundown of the events. — Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, "Best Moments From Comic-Con 2018," 22 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'instruction.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near instruction

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Last Updated

23 Jun 2019

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Time Traveler for instruction

The first known use of instruction was in the 15th century

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More Definitions for instruction

instruction

noun

English Language Learners Definition of instruction

: a statement that describes how to do something

: an order or command

: the action or process of teaching : the act of instructing someone

See the full definition for instruction in the English Language Learners Dictionary

instruction

noun

in·struc·tion | \ in-ˈstrək-shən

Kids Definition of instruction

1 instructions plural : a specific rule or command I left instructions that I was not to be disturbed.

2 instructions plural : an outline of how something is to be done Follow the instructions on the box.

3 : the act or practice of teaching Students receive instruction in history.

instruction

noun

in·struc·tion

Legal Definition of instruction

: an explanation of an applicable principle of law given by a judge to a jury before the jury retires to consider its verdict

— called also jury charge, jury instruction

Note: Under both the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, at the close of evidence, or before the close if the court reasonably so directs, any party may file written requests for the instructions to be given to the jury by the court. The court must advise the parties of its decision regarding the instructions prior to closing argument so that the parties may address the instructions during argument. Any objections to the instructions must be made before the jury retires for deliberation.