How to Use instead in a Sentence
instead
adverb- I was offered a ride, but I chose to walk instead.
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Tarnoff prefers to think of them, instead, as more like malls.
—Sarah Leonard, The New Republic, 8 Sep. 2022
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If that's the case for you, try out the exercise in a sumo stance instead.
—Tony Gentilcore, Men's Health, 30 Nov. 2022
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Tired of all the scares and craving a light romance instead?
—Hannah Jeon, Good Housekeeping, 23 May 2022
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But as the set rolled on, the focus turned instead to the group’s enduring strengths.
—Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2024
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Or just switch to a top sheet instead and wash it with your sheets every week.
—Louryn Strampe, WIRED, 9 Mar. 2025
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Cats got that release date instead, and that went great.
—Vulture, 20 June 2023
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With the weather setback, Sims worked with the dancers and cast on a soundstage instead.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 22 June 2023
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The main difference is the G3 comes without a stand, instead meant to be mounted on the wall.
—Condé Nast, WIRED, 24 Nov. 2023
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So instead, this list will steer you toward unique (and on-time) presents.
—Halie Lesavage, Harper's BAZAAR, 28 Apr. 2022
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Next, was the model’s turn, but Peltz used it as a runway instead.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 25 Feb. 2025
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Seilheimer cooked up a chowder that swapped out clams for the snails instead.
—Laura Schulte, Journal Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2023
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Smith instead worked a five-pitch walk and came around to score on a Marcus Semien single.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas News, 13 May 2023
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The state has not banned car charging, but instead urged people to do so during the day.
—Kathleen Ronayne, ajc, 7 Sep. 2022
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Step up your fashion game with this stylish high-neck tank top instead.
—Kirsten Chanel Webber, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2024
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If the carbon is used instead for oil drilling, the credit would go from $30 today to $60 per ton.
—Wil Burns, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2022
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Shortly after, he was sent the script for Home Alone instead.
—Taylor Murphy, Good Housekeeping, 18 Nov. 2022
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She was slated to go to Michigan, but the plane took off and instead landed in New York City.
—Filip Timotija, The Hill, 3 Nov. 2024
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The authors of the new study suggest that purring instead results from the laryngeal pads of cats.
—Jorge Garay, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2023
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Stop using copy-and-paste templates and stores—instead, be unique.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2023
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If hiking isn't your thing, consider instead a boat trip out to the islands of the Oslofjord.
—David Nikel, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
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The team instead banished Crowder with pay for the season.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 1 Feb. 2025
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What her mind told her instead was that the man in the most powerful position in the state was on his way to Louisville.
—Kristina Goetz, USA Today, 13 Apr. 2025
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But could Tehran instead be prepared to pull back in exchange for progress on Gaza peace talks?
—Nic Robertson, CNN, 8 Aug. 2024
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The lore of how painful a Brazilian wax can be has most opting for their trusty razor instead.
—Audrey Noble, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2023
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In the late 1970s, Americans didn’t drink wine, opting instead for liquor and beer.
—Jonathan Edwards, Washington Post, 6 Apr. 2023
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Now, instead, the bear goes on a rampage and brutally mauls a bunch of people.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2023
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The full moon in April instead gets its name from one of the earliest widespread flowers of spring.
—Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024
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Acosta reportedly turned down an offer to host a new late-night show at CNN, instead choosing to leave.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 25 Feb. 2025
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Trump allies have not focused on the nuance, instead pointing out the numerous times in the past when Democrats and left-leaning entities called for a rebalancing of trade relations.
—Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 13 Apr. 2025
Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'instead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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