Synonyms of instructs

instructs

verb

present tense third-person singular of instruct

1

as in teaches

to cause to acquire knowledge or skill in some field

spent his military career instructing young pilots

Synonyms & Similar Words

• teaches
• educates
• schools
• indoctrinates
• lessons
• trains
• tutors
• informs
• prepares
• coaches
• guides
• preaches
• instills
• directs
• lectures
• grounds
• leads
• mentors
• moralizes
• introduces
• qualifies
• inculcates
• initiates
• drills
• enlightens
• edifies
• familiarizes
• primes
• shows
• imparts (to)
• retrains
• verses
• fits
• habilitates
• briefs
• rears
• implants
• homeschools
• catechizes
• reteaches
• reeducates
• reschools

2

as in informs

to give information to

instructed everyone in the use of the new telephone system

Synonyms & Similar Words

• informs
• advises
• tells
• teaches
• educates
• briefs
• apprises
• acquaints
• familiarizes
• enlightens
• notifies
• clears
• clues (in)
• verses
• hips
• fills in
• convinces
• alerts
• advertises
• assures
• catches up
• reassures
• wises (up)
• lets someone know
• keeps (someone) posted
• certifies
• discloses (to)
• announces (to)
• lectures
• schools
• warrants
• tutors
• disabuses
• disenchants
• undeceives
• disillusions

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• misleads
• misinforms

3

as in tells

to issue orders to (someone) by right of authority

the proctors instructed everyone to put their pencils down and hand in their tests

Synonyms & Similar Words

• tells
• orders
• asks
• commands
• directs
• advises
• enjoins
• begs
• warns
• bosses (around)
• bids
• adjures
• appoints
• requires
• requests
• authorizes
• compels
• charges
• assigns
• entreats
• beseeches
• supervises
• obliges
• counsels
• manages
• forces
• leads
• conducts
• oversees
• petitions
• constrains
• coerces
• controls
• superintends
• commissions

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• follows
• minds
• obeys
• observes
• keeps
• complies (with)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of instructs

The jury is expected to begin deliberating on Tuesday morning, after Tinkler Mendez instructs them on the law. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026

Its facilitator handbook encourages children to share their pronouns and instructs adults to use gender-neutral language. — Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026

When Sita begs Rama to follow a demon disguised as a beautiful golden deer, Rama draws a magical protective circle around the princess and instructs her to stay within the circle’s borders. — Sohini Sarah Pillai, The Conversation, 14 Oct. 2026

Once identified, the AI then instructs the robot’s grippers to grab the item from the waste stream, ready for processing. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026

David instructs Johnny to find out what Taylor & Byrne know about Flora Monroe, discreetly. — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026

The legislation also instructs officials from the National Park Service to remove any such signage installed without Congressional approval. — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026

However, the order instructs officials to explore ways to forgive the tax obligations, including potentially legislation. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026

In this model, the device being signed into presents a code and instructs the user to enter it into a browser on a separate device. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2026