1
as in teaches
to cause to acquire knowledge or skill in some field
spent his military career instructing young pilots
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in informs
to give information to
instructed everyone in the use of the new telephone system
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of instructs
When Little John struggles to describe his dream girl, Robin instructs his protegee to sketch an image with words.
—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
The resolution by Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins instructs Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to pursue clawing back money from the Host Committee if the county can determine federal dollars are now paying for expenses that Miami-Dade agreed to cover with its $21 million allocation.
—
Douglas Hanks
june 17,
Miami Herald,
17 June 2026
In the nearly five-minute clip, a blonde woman with a heavy midwestern accent instructs viewers on how to draw the medication from the vial and where to inject it on the body.
—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
16 June 2026
The cancer instructs the body to build super roadways (blood vessels) and homes (tumor cells) resistant to decay.
—
Charles J. Dimitroff,
The Conversation,
12 June 2026
Emmett holds the two men at gunpoint and instructs them to transport him to a specific location to evade capture.
—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
This portion instructs Claude to be attentive to the well-being of users.
—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
When the external environment reaches above 25 degrees Celsius, or 77 degrees Fahrenheit, the brain’s hypothalamus instructs the glands to release sweat.
—
Sophia Dyer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 May 2026
The legislation, which won't take effect until after the November 2026 election, instructs the secretary of the Senate to place senators' paychecks on hold during the duration of any future federal government shutdowns.
—
Lalee Ibssa,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
The resolution by Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins instructs Mayor Daniella Levine Cava to pursue clawing back money from the Host Committee if the county can determine federal dollars are now paying for expenses that Miami-Dade agreed to cover with its $21 million allocation.
—
Douglas Hanks
june 17,
Miami Herald,
17 June 2026
In the nearly five-minute clip, a blonde woman with a heavy midwestern accent instructs viewers on how to draw the medication from the vial and where to inject it on the body.
—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
16 June 2026
The cancer instructs the body to build super roadways (blood vessels) and homes (tumor cells) resistant to decay.
—
Charles J. Dimitroff,
The Conversation,
12 June 2026
Emmett holds the two men at gunpoint and instructs them to transport him to a specific location to evade capture.
—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
This portion instructs Claude to be attentive to the well-being of users.
—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
When the external environment reaches above 25 degrees Celsius, or 77 degrees Fahrenheit, the brain’s hypothalamus instructs the glands to release sweat.
—
Sophia Dyer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 May 2026
The legislation, which won't take effect until after the November 2026 election, instructs the secretary of the Senate to place senators' paychecks on hold during the duration of any future federal government shutdowns.
—
Lalee Ibssa,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for instructs
Verb
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Cole teaches chemistry, serves as head advisor for the school’s Model United Nations program and is the head coach for the girls bowling team.
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This fun, beginner-friendly class teaches the fundamentals of Texas Hold’em, giving you the confidence to join a friendly game.
Verb
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Welcome to Latest & Greatest, a franchise that celebrates all the shiniest new beauty launches of the month and informs you what’s worth your time and cash.
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Or a financial services firm where risk scoring informs underwriting, which informs pricing.
Verb
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As the film tells it, her poses — sometimes casual, sometimes intense, always impressive — caught the eye of fellow climber Ivan Beerkus, and the two soon began collaborating.
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David Martin, who leads the global people and organization practice at BCG, tells Fortune that too many companies are focused on one-hour training sessions, half-day bootcamps, and other classic learning and development programs.
Verb
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Texas, which educates roughly 1 in 10 of the nation's public school students, has been at the forefront of a charge by conservatives to incorporate more religion into classrooms.
-
SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe.
Verb
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Keeping money out of the Cuban government’s hands while helping the Cuban people is tricky, said Aymee Valdivia, an attorney at Holland & Knight who advises companies doing business in Cuba.
-
Consumer Reports advises contacting customer support early in the trial to test how responsive the company is before you’re committed.
Verb
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Finally, unable to stand down the household guard on her own, Alicent confesses her scheme to Helaena, who orders the sentries on the ramparts to hold fire when Rhaenyra flies in on Syrax.
-
Agent Greer orders him to drop the weapon.
Verb
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On the way to the oyster farm, Luke asks about a ring Joy is wearing, which turns out to be from an engagement that ended badly.
-
The lawsuit asks the regional court to stop further transfers, force Ghana to release the deal’s terms, award damages and bar the country from making similar agreements in the future.
Verb
-
Kelly Mason commands Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with a deft hand, both at her namesake Mason Vineyards and Domaine Queylus.
-
Known to get into the minutiae of coding himself, Andreou actively participates in building tools, with a vibrant personality that commands the room.
Cite this Entry
“Instructs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/instructs. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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