instance 1 of 2

as in example
one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like this is just one instance of his repeated failure to do what he promised

Synonyms & Similar Words

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instance

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to cite
to give as an example instanced one particular incident as an illustration of their penchant for practical jokes

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3

Synonym Chooser

How is the word instance distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of instance are case, example, illustration, sample, and specimen. While all these words mean "something that exhibits distinguishing characteristics in its category," instance applies to any individual person, act, or thing that may be offered to illustrate or explain.

an instance of history repeating itself

When could case be used to replace instance?

Although the words case and instance have much in common, case is used to direct attention to a real or assumed occurrence or situation that is to be considered, studied, or dealt with.

a case of mistaken identity

When might example be a better fit than instance?

The meanings of example and instance largely overlap; however, example applies to a typical, representative, or illustrative instance or case.

a typical example of bureaucratic waste

When can illustration be used instead of instance?

In some situations, the words illustration and instance are roughly equivalent. However, illustration applies to an instance offered as a means of clarifying or illuminating a general statement.

a telling illustration of Murphy's Law

When is it sensible to use sample instead of instance?

The words sample and instance can be used in similar contexts, but sample implies a part or unit taken at random from a larger whole and so presumed to be typical of its qualities.

show us a sample of your work

Where would specimen be a reasonable alternative to instance?

While the synonyms specimen and instance are close in meaning, specimen applies to any example or sample whether representative or merely existent and available.

one of the finest specimens of the jeweler's art

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of instance
Noun
The report lists the states with the highest rates of book banning in 2024-25 as Florida, with 2,304 instances; Texas (1,781); and Tennessee (1,622). Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 1 Oct. 2025 In several other states—including Maine, New York, and California—PEN American didn’t identify any instances of books being banned. Chantelle Lee, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
Topics under discussion included changes in the industry over the last decade, instanced by the rise of digital and gaming, audience fragmentation, and the emergence of disruptive technologies such as AI. Liza Foreman, Variety, 14 Oct. 2023 But there’s been plenty of room for errors and hallucinations, instances when chatbots like ChatGPT have concocted inaccurate—and sometimes worrying—answers to questions. Joseph Abrams, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2023 See All Example Sentences for instance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instance
Noun
  • For example, the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is designed to protect investors and keep financial markets fair, is one of more than two doen agencies that are legally similar to the FCC.
    Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • In Geneva, for example, a nuclear invention from CERN researchers in the early 2000s led to the founding of a novel cancer treatment, and ultimately, to its $4 billion acquisition by Novartis.
    Peter Vanham, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • According to The Associated Press, citing the district’s website, he was born to parents from Guyana and raised in Brooklyn, New York.
    Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
  • The pair eventually decided to split, and Lopez filed for divorce exactly two years later, citing irreconcilable differences.
    Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Since September 2024, a new federal law requires mammogram reports to state whether breast tissue is dense, and to mention the possibility of additional imaging.
    Dr. Megha Gupta, ABC News, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Even without all of those players mentioned above, Indiana was close to making it to the WNBA Finals.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Shot on location surrounded by her horses, the campaign illustrates elevated pieces designed for today’s modern wardrobe, and shows Springsteen in her truest from.
    Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 2 Oct. 2025
  • These statistics illustrate the trend of how Americans are starting to delay major milestones like getting married, adopting a pet, buying a house, and having children for a wide variety of reasons, namely owing to inflation and the cost of living.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • This is the case in the three countries where the girls CNN spoke to are based, for example the laws in Ecuador, Bangladesh and Zambia do not directly reference informal unions.
    Carlotta Dotto, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2025
  • The star seemed to reference his past comments in a post on X following the Super Bowl LX announcement.
    Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Sadayuki had specified as such in his will.
    Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Burr said the restrictions on what comedians could say had been softened by the festival after some back and forth (Burr didn’t specify with whom).
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The test event also demonstrated that the system can detect UAVs even if drones are partially obscured by buildings or clouds.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Protesters had rallied for days outside the Texas state capitol, demonstrating against Republican efforts to redraw the state’s congressional map.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In August, a single-engine Piper PA-28 crash landed on southbound Interstate 805 in Sorrento Valley after the pilot noticed the engine was sputtering and losing power.
    Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Sep. 2025
  • For almost the entire bloated two-hour run time, Black keeps his foot on the accelerator in the hope that audiences won’t notice the haphazard, barely logical plotting.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Instance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instance. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.

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