instruct

Synonym Chooser

How is the word instruct different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of instruct are discipline, educate, school, teach, and train. While all these words mean "to cause to acquire knowledge or skill," instruct suggests methodical or formal teaching.

instructs raw recruits in military drill

Where would discipline be a reasonable alternative to instruct?

While in some cases nearly identical to instruct, discipline implies training in habits of order and precision.

a disciplined mind

When is educate a more appropriate choice than instruct?

The words educate and instruct are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, educate implies development of the mind.

more things than formal schooling serve to educate a person

When can school be used instead of instruct?

While the synonyms school and instruct are close in meaning, school implies training or disciplining especially in what is hard to master.

schooled the horse in five gaits

When is it sensible to use teach instead of instruct?

The meanings of teach and instruct largely overlap; however, teach applies to any manner of imparting information or skill so that others may learn.

taught us a lot about our planet

When might train be a better fit than instruct?

Although the words train and instruct have much in common, train stresses instruction and drill with a specific end in view.

trained foreign pilots to operate the new aircraft

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 instruct Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed his team to push for ceasefire terms and security guarantees without compromising Ukraine's territorial integrity. Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025 China is also instructing its carriers to stop buying airline parts and other components from U.S. companies, according to Bloomberg, which cited people familiar with the situation. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2025 As a private contractor, Harris taught Roku Jutsu for over 25 years, instructing clients in close-quarters combat. Ethan Stone, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2025 So, if a failing coal power plant is instructed by DOE to stay open to help maintain the electric supply for new data centers, the public would likely be stuck with extra utility costs as well as potential health costs. Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for instruct
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instruct
Verb
  • Share the unpopular truth that your experience has taught you.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • His mother taught painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
    Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Its measurements of ocean salinity and temperatures inform Navy operations, according to the Council on Strategic Risks, a nonpartisan security policy institute in Washington.
    Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2025
  • Becky, having seen Darlene and Chad together at the bar, informs Ben about Chad.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Trump told the brief story behind the biblical holiday centered on Jesus Christ, who, according to Christian tradition, was crucified on a cross and then rose from the dead.
    Jenny Goldsberry, The Washington Examiner, 20 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • This free forum will help educate the community on the probate process and available resources available to start estate planning efforts.
    Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Sea level rise maps generally aim to educate viewers about the real-world consequences of a warmed planet, but Linn’s use of period gas station maps also deftly points the finger of blame at oil conglomerates.
    Carlton Reid, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Rather, Singh advised, think of them as a menu of options—pick three to start with.
    Cathy Cassata, Health, 24 Apr. 2025
  • After many of these heated interactions between GOP lawmakers and voters pressing for answers went viral, House leadership advised members to quit hosting in-person events.
    Savannah Kuchar, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Just days ago, a federal judge ordered Ozturk be transferred back to a detention facility in Vermont.
    Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Women can order Oova kits directly and receive 30 days' worth of hormone testing.
    Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Healthcare providers consider your medical history and ask about symptoms.
    Mark Gurarie, Health, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Three Manhattan federal prosecutors resigned on Tuesday after saying the Trump administration had asked them to admit wrongdoing in New York City Mayor Eric Adams’s corruption case as a condition of their return.
    Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Isaacman is a billionaire pilot and astronaut who founded the Shift4 Payments company as a teenager and commanded the first civilian space crew in 2021 aboard a SpaceX capsule.
    Karen Freifeld, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
  • These little bottles command three-figure price tags.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 24 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Instruct.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instruct. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on instruct

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