instances 1 of 2

plural of instance
as in examples
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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instances

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of instance
1
2
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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 instances
Noun
In July, Anthropic described three instances where its Claude models accessed the internet during an evaluation and gained unauthorized access to the real systems of three different organizations. — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026 And the drumbeat of safety concerns continue to beat louder, with AI companies revealing more instances of models acting without human authorization in the past week. — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026 There have also been multiple cases of ALPR errors leading to wrongful police stops or instances of the technology being abused, according to a recent CBS News investigation. — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026 Last week, OpenAI disclosed several instances from the summer in which its agents acted in unexpected ways while searching federal government websites. — Kelvin Chan, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026 In both of these instances, volatility in macroeconomic conditions created urgency downstream that bid up prices. — Sj Guest Editorial, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2026 Like the vice presidency, the LG is at its core a position of waiting, either for those instances when the top person is away or indisposed or if the time ever comes when the chief executive is unable to continue in their duties. — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026 In the 1980s and early 1990s, statistically rare instances of strangers abducting white children from public spaces and murdering them became highly publicized. — Daniel Lachance, The Conversation, 21 Sep. 2026 In 17 different instances, ESPN cut to a camera pinned on Florida offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, so uncomfortably close the viewer could see his thoughts forming. — Noah White, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instances
Noun
  • On a single day late last month, a citizen and a noncitizen—one in Illinois, the other in Texas—became the most recent examples of this new reality.
    — Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026
  • In court documents, Fox's legal team noted that Thomson does not have concrete examples of specific claims being made about him.
    — David Folkenflik, NPR, 4 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In court documents, the Justice Department cites that ruling.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Jay cites the scene in which Tommy DeVito (played by Joe Pesci) threatens Billy Batts (Frank Vincent) with increasingly outrageous acts of violence, turning the mobster’s menace into dark comedy.
    — John Kennedy, VIBE.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The indictment mentions evidence of the smuggling that took place in 2024, with Earthmade Computer buying dozens of high-end servers and shipping them overseas.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Neither mentions coal specifically, but rather bulk commodities.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Turkheimer said the apparent mistake illustrates how the complexities of statutes of limitations can undermine the fundamental premise of the justice system.
    — Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026
  • One transaction illustrates how the operation allegedly worked.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Small Town Girls references two shootings, a reference to the gun violence that’s a staple of American life, now more than ever.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Tasks need a human being who notices what is happening and takes responsibility.
    — Nikola Kiridzic, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • For cases such as the one described in this recent post in which cats are being fed on private property within an association community, violation notices as well as cease and desist letters are the most common initial responses.
    — Michael L. Hyman, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • This exhibit demonstrates how more than 600 muscles fuel human movement.
    — Emma Hall October 3, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
  • As Applied Aerospace strips out IPO charges over the next two quarters, demonstrates its capital-light operating leverage, and starts collecting cash on its backlog, the valuation gap will likely compress.
    — Harvey Stober, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Before buying, confirm the device lists wavelengths in the 630-to-850-nanometer range and specifies power output.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026
  • When leadership specifies what rigor looks like upfront, teams can stop trading quality for speed.
    — Nacho De Marco, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Instances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instances. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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